Russian Navy launches cruise missiles in the Black Sea

Russia's Utes coastal defense system. Photo: Sputnik

The Utes coastal defense system of Russia's Black Sea Fleet launched two cruise missiles on September 9 during an exercise to protect a group of surface combat ships, according to Sputnik.

Black Sea Fleet spokesman Vyacheslav Trukhachev said the exercise was aimed at improving the collective defense capabilities of the fleet's forces.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet currently possesses two Utes missile systems and four launch silos deployed on the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. These systems are equipped with P-35 cruise missiles, capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 300 km.

The P-35 missile carries a high-explosive warhead and can travel at speeds of more than 2,000 km/h.

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been on high alert recently to guard against joint military exercises between the US and Ukraine in the region. The last Russian naval exercise in Crimea took place in the summer of 2016./.

According to VNE