Russia to join large-scale NATO-led naval exercises

MOSCOW, May 16 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Navy will participate for the first time in a large-scale submarine rescue exercise conducted by NATO countries and their allies, a Navy spokesman said on Friday.

The Bold Monarch 2008 exercise will be staged near the Norwegian coast from May 26 to June 7.

"The purpose of the exercise is to ensure compatibility of rescue equipment used by the Russian Navy and the navies of NATO countries, and to demonstrate ability to coordinate cooperative efforts during escape and rescue missions," Captain 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said.

Support personnel and equipment from Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands; Norway, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, the U.K. and the United States will be engaged "to solve complex rescue and medical problems in a variety of scenarios."

Russia will send the Georgy Titov deep-sea rescue ship from the Northern Fleet to join the exercise, the spokesman said.