The crews of Caspian Flotilla ships and vessels have taken to the sea to practice combat assignments of eliminating a notional enemy force, the press office of Russia’s Southern Military District reported on Thursday, Eurasia Diary reports citing TASS.

"The crews of the missile ships Dagestan and Tatarstan, the small artillery ships Astrakhan, Volgodonsk and Grad Sviyazhsk, the landing boats and minesweepers of the Flotilla have deployed to the Caspian Sea ranges to practice planned combat training assignments," the press office said in a statement.

Over 30 combat ships and support vessels of the Flotilla, more than 200 items of combat and special hardware, about 10 helicopters and aircraft and more than 1,500 personnel are involved in the combat training measures on the territory of the Republic of Dagestan and the Astrakhan Region, the press office specified.

During the drills, the Caspian Flotilla sailors will repel a notional enemy’s air attack, employing shipborne armament. The participating personnel will also practice organizing command and control of shipborne air defense forces and weapon systems, distributing targets and setting fire tasks for eliminating floating mines, the statement says.