Russian launches Baltic naval exercise simultaneously with NATO

Russia launched naval manoeuvres with its Baltic Sea fleet on Tuesday, coinciding with a major NATO naval exercise in the region.
More than 20 ships and boats were involved, including corvettes, frigates, missile-launchers, anti-submarine destroyers and landing boats, the Russian military said, according to a report by the Interfax news agency.
Anti-submarine Il-38 aircraft and helicopters were also involved in the exercises, the report said, adding that the manoeuvres had been planned in advance.
NATO's Baltops 2022 naval exercise with 45 ships under US leadership is currently also under way in the region. It runs until the middle of the month.

Russian military activity in the region has increased noticeably. At the beginning of May, the army conducted a major exercise in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.
The exercise included simulated launches of Iskander missiles, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a reported range of up to 500 kilometres.
In April, the Russian Defence Ministry began an exercise over a number of weeks to test the readiness of its Baltic fleet.
Tensions in the region have risen since the invasion of Ukraine in late February.
Sweden and Finland have both applied to join NATO, abandoning long-standing policies of neutrality, and Russian leaders, such as former president Dmitry Medvedev, have warned that nuclear weapons will be stationed in the Baltic region.