UK Defence Intelligence reports on Russia's first major naval strategic exercises in two years

The Russian navy's extensive Okean-24 strategic exercises, which took place from 10 to 16 September, became the focus of the UK Defence Intelligence's most recent intelligence review. Source: UK Defence Intelligence update on X (Twitter) dated 13 October, as reported by European Pravda Details: The department stated that the drills were held following a two-year hiatus.

By 2022, Russia was scheduled to perform annual drills with all of its military forces, but the last two were virtually cancelled due to the start of the full-fledged war in Ukraine.

The Okean-24 drill was most likely an attempt to demonstrate capacity and capabilities in the face of war, the intelligence agency said. According to Russian media, the exercises included around 400 ships, 120 planes, 7.000 vehicles, and 90.000 personnel operating in the Barents, Baltic, Mediterranean, and Caspian Seas, as well as the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.

"The exercise did operate in these areas, but Russia has almost certainly grossly exaggerated these figures as there are currently only around 300 vessels available to take part," the report says. The Okean-24 exercises were not conducted in the Black Sea, most likely owing to Ukrainian strikes in the first six months of 2024.

Earlier, Defence Intelligence of the United Kingdom stated that the average daily losses of Russia in terms of the dead and wounded during May and June 2024 reached the highest levels since the start of its invasion of Ukraine.

In addition, one of the previous updates described the situation around the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant, which has recently been liberated from Russian control by Ukrainian forces.

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