In the area reserved by Russia through a Greek NAVTEX, contested by Turkey over Athens' jurisdiction, Russian warships conducted a massive test of Zircon hypersonic missiles, according to an official statement from the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Pentapostagma was one of the few media outlets in Greece to highlight the reservation of this specific area, located at the southeastern boundaries of the Greek region, for the issuance of the NAVTEX.
The Russian Ministry of Defense's statement is as follows:
"On December 3, 2024, during an exercise to develop joint operational methods between Russian Navy and Aerospace Forces units in the eastern Mediterranean, high-precision missiles were launched from sea-based and air-based platforms.
The crews of the frigates Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov and Admiral Golovko, operating as part of the Russian Navy's strike group, launched Zircon hypersonic missiles. Additionally, the diesel-electric submarine Novorossiysk launched a Caliber cruise missile at a sea target. Simultaneously, from a designated area on the Mediterranean coast, the crew of the coastal missile system Bastion launched an Onyx cruise missile.
The designated targets were successfully hit with direct strikes. The exercise is being conducted in accordance with the Training Plan of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation from December 1 to December 3, 2024, under the leadership of the Navy's Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Alexander Moiseev.
In preparation for the exercise, the composition of the Russian Armed Forces' units in the eastern Mediterranean was reinforced. The formed heterogeneous strike and anti-submarine forces are conducting missile, artillery, and torpedo firings, as well as practical bombing. Some combat drills are executed using advanced high-precision weaponry recently adopted by the Russian Navy and Aerospace Forces.
Over 1,000 military personnel, 10 ships and support vessels, 24 aircraft—including MiG-31I fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces armed with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles—and the Bastion coastal missile system participated in the exercise.
The exercise in the eastern Mediterranean is conducted in compliance with international law and agreements of the Russian Federation with foreign states to prevent incidents at sea outside territorial waters and in their upper airspace."
The Russian announcement was accompanied by an impressive video capturing the missile launches
