Russian warships return to bases after joint Pacific patrolling with Chinese Navy

Russian Navy warships on Sunday returned to their bases after concluding three weeks of joint-patrolling of the Pacific Ocean with the Chinese navy ships, Russia's state-affiliated Interfax news agency reported. War vessels from Russia's Pacific Fleet and a detachment of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) held a joint maritime exercise, traversing more than 7,000 nautical miles through the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

During the patrol, the Russian-Chinese detachment passed along the contentious Kuril ridge off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. They fired live artillery and conducted “anti-submarine and naval combat” drills. More than 10 naval vessels and 30 military aircraft participated in the exercise. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (ISW) since last year, Russia and China have conducted at least five military exercises in the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.  

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the naval drills were conducted to “strengthen naval cooperation” between the two ally countries, and “to maintain peace and stability in the Asia Pacific.”

Trilateral exercises conducted by US, Japan, and South Korea

Russia and its steadfast ally China have been bolstering military and economic ties since Moscow invaded neighbouring Ukraine, which China has refrained from openly condemning. The two countries have been conducting joint patrolling in a sign of Beijing’s continuing support for Moscow despite the invasion. It is also seen as a response to the trilateral drill conducted by US Japan, and South Korea in the Asia Pacific region. 

The two ally nations commenced air-and-sea military exercises in the Sea of Japan last month aimed at "safeguarding strategic maritime routes," according to the Chinese Defense Ministry's statement. Beijing sent five warships, including a guided-missile destroyer to an unknown location for the military drills and did not specify where exactly they were taking place. China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu also advocated boosting naval cooperation with Russia's President Vladimir Putin's Naval troops in a show of defiance to the Western hostile forces. Following Russia's all-out declaration of war in Ukraine, Beijing launched its own barbs against the rival United States and its allies for "provoking Russia" and has cemented better diplomatic and trade ties with Moscow.