Russian Navy Starts Major Drills Involving Most of Its Fleet

MOSCOW—Russia’s navy began planned exercises involving most of its fleet in the Arctic and Pacific oceans as well, and the the Baltic, and Caspian seas, the defense ministry said on Tuesday. Russia is considered by most military analysts to have the world’s third most powerful navy after those of the United States and China, and Russia has a significant ballistic-missile nuclear submarine fleet. The Russian drills, which include 20,000 personnel and 300 ships, will test the readiness and capabilities of the navy at all levels, the ministry said. The drills will include over 300 combat exercises including practicing the use of anti-aircraft missiles, artillery, anti-submarine weapons, and “passive interference, it added....