Article Posted on : - Apr 16, 2012

Russia's Varyag guided missile cruiser.

VLADIVOSTOK (BNS): Russia has dispatched four of its warships for a joint naval exercise with the Chinese Navy in the Yellow Sea slated to begin next week.

The warships from the Navy's Pacific Fleet that include guided missile cruiser Varyag, and three large anti-submarine ships, Marshal Shaposhnikov, Admiral Panteleyev and Admiral Vinogradov, left Vladivostok on Sunday and are expected to arrive in China next Sunday for the exercise slated for April 22-27 in the Yellow Sea, the Chinese Defence Ministry said.

Besides the warships, Russia is also sending its support vessels, fighter aircraft and helicopters to take part in the naval drill.

In all, more than 20 Russian and Chinese warships and support vessels will be taking part in the maritime drill.

The Chinese Defence Ministry had earlier said that the joint exercise was being aimed at deepening Sino-Russian strategic partnership of cooperation and also to improve both countries' abilities to cope with challenges and safeguard peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.

China and Russia have been conducting bilateral military drills since 2005 within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).