Russian Artillery Deploys Covertly, Launches Strikes in Baltic Exercise

The Baltic Sea Fleet's gunners began exercises on Thursday which will involve the covert deployment of Grad multiple rocket launchers and self-propelled artilery.

Over 700 Russian Baltic Fleet gunners and 150 units of military equipment are conducting artillery exercises at Kaliningrad region training grounds, the Western Military District's press service announced.

"During the field exercise, the gunners will have to complete over 100 different assignments using Giatsint guns, Grad multiple rocket launcher systems, Akatsiya and Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, Nona self-propelled artillery gun, Podnos mortars, Konkurs anti-tank systems and other weapons."

The emphasis of the training will be to practice covert movement of troops, deployment of military equipment after a march and inflicting artillery strikes on an opposing force at various distances.

The exercises, which began on Thursday, will last until the end of March. On Tuesday, the Baltic Fleet's coastal troops' rocket formations began exercises in Kaliningrad region.

The press service noted that the field exercises of the Baltic Fleet's coastal troops are conducted twice a year, and take about a month to complete. The field exercises will culminate with a tactical fire control exercise at the end of the month.