Pacific Fleet Ships Deployed In The Sea Of Okhotsk Amid Snap Drills*

MOSCOW, July 14 (RIA Novosti) - Six naval task forces from Russia’s Pacific Fleet
 were deployed in the Sea of Okhotsk on Saturday evening amid a large-scale surprise combat readiness check, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The naval task groups are to perform “anti-submarine and air defense exercises” in the area, the ministry said.
A part of Pacific Fleet forces will also train anti-piracy efforts as part of the exercises.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the snap drills Friday evening.
 It is the third surprise combat readiness check since January and follows a major shake-up at the top of a military establishment tarnished by persistent evidence of rampant corruption.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Saturday said that up to 160,000 servicemen are involved in the large-scale exercises
 in the Eastern Military District, double the number initially reported.

* Notícia publicada a RIA Novosti. La Flota del Pacífic inicia una altra sèrie d'exercicis. Res de nou més enllà de la constatació de la importància que el Kremlin dóna a l'Extrem Orient.