By admin What you need to know: Russia recently conducted the largest naval exercise since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, codenamed OKEAN-24.
-However, Russian media exaggerated the scale of the exercises, claiming that more than 400 ships took part, although the fleet consists of only about 300. The exercises covered many bodies of water, including the Barents Sea and the Caspian Sea, but avoided the Black Sea due to attacks Ukraine.
-The exercises are intended to demonstrate the range and resilience of the Russian Navy, although its current capabilities do not match exaggerated media reports.
Russia’s largest naval exercises since the war in Ukraine have been met with skepticism
The Russian Navy has conducted its largest naval exercises since the war in Ukraine began almost three years ago.
Although the Russian fleet has suffered heavy losses in combat, it remains a significant force – although perhaps not as large as Moscow would like.
OKEAN-24 and the Russian Navy
In its latest war estimates, British military intelligence discussed large-scale naval exercises by the Russian navy, the first since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In the second week of September, the Russian Navy conducted OKEAN-24, a large-scale strategic exercise that involved dozens of warships and logistics ships. This came after a two-year break in all large-scale exercises of the Russian armed forces,
“Until 2022, Russia would be conducting annual exercises involving all its armed forces – Joint Strategic Exercises (JSE), but the last two have almost certainly been canceled as a consequence of demands for war in Ukraine,” a British military commander said. Intelligence was assessed.
Russian naval forces played a supporting role in the conflict. However, despite encountering almost no reciprocal action on the seas – the Ukrainian Navy does not have significant surface warfare capabilities – the Russian Navy lost almost 30 surface ships, submarines and logistics vessels, either permanently or temporarily.
“OKEAN-24 was likely intended to demonstrate range and capability despite war,” British military intelligence added.
Russian media highlighted the naval exercises and the forces participating in them. And as is typical in Russian reporting, the media exaggerated the number of forces involved. For example, Russian media reports suggested that OKEAN-24 would involve more than 400 surface combatants, submarines and logistics ships, 120 aircraft, 7,000 vehicles and 90,000 personnel. Moreover, the reports indicate that the exercises will take place in six different waters: the Barents Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Pacific and the Arctic Ocean.
The truth, however, brings a more conservative assessment of Russia’s naval capabilities. Let’s start with the fact that the current Russian naval force numbers about 300 ships, combatants and support ships. Moreover, it would be difficult for the Russian military to commit more than 100 aircraft to naval exercises when Ukrainian drones and missiles penetrate Russian airspace at regular intervals, destroying high-value military targets.
“Exercises were indeed carried out in these areas, but Russia has almost certainly grossly exaggerated these numbers as only around 300 ships are currently available to take part,” British military intelligence said.
It is unclear whether Russian media reports included friendly vessels such as Chinese ships in the total. Recently, the navies of Russia and China have been conducting joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
“No OKEAN-2024 activities took place in the Black Sea, most likely due to Ukrainian attacks in the first half of 2024.” – summarized British military intelligence.
The Black Sea turned into a graveyard for the Russian Navy. In the first weeks of the war, he lost the heavy missile cruiser “Moscow” and the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Since then, Russian naval forces have begun losing ship after ship to clever Ukrainian long-range air and sea attacks. As a result, the Russian Black Sea Fleet remains in its ports, desperately trying to save the stranded ships.
About the author:
Stavros Atlamazoglou is an experienced defense journalist specializing in special operations and a veteran of the Hellenic Army (national service in the 575th Marine Battalion and Army Command). He earned a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been published in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
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