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Crews of Russian Bal and Bastion coastal missile systems have started drills in the Republic of Crimea, the press service of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet reported on December 3.

According to the report, crews of the missile systems are training to destroy “enemy warships” and coordinate their efforts with air and naval reconnaissance systems.

The Bal coastal defense system is armed with 8 containers with Kh-35 anti-ship cruise missiles. They are capable to striking targets within the range of 130/260 km (depending on the modification) and defeat ships with the displacement of up to 5 000 t. At least one Bal system is now deployed near the Kerch Strait. The Bastion-P mobile coastal defense missile system’s main role is to eliminate surface ships including carrier battle groups, convoys and landing craft. The system employs the P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship missile with a 200–250 kg warhead. According to remarks by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, the Bastion-P system can engage targets at a distance of 350 km at sea and almost 450 km over land.

There are also 4 battalions of the S-400 air defense system deployed in Crimea. They are located in Feodosia, Evpatoria, Sevastopol and near the border with Ukraine.

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