Russia and China hold naval drills. They practice submarine capture

MOSCOW, (Reuters) – Russia and China completed naval drills off the East China Sea after a week-long joint exercise that involved firing artillery at warships and capturing enemy submarines with depth charges.

According to China’s official news agency Xinhua, the Dec. 21-27 exercises were called “Maritime Interaction-2022” and included Russia’s Pacific Fleet. They were conducted in waters off Zhoushan in China’s Zhejiang Province.

Russia’s defense ministry stated that “detachments of warships of both the Pacific Fleet and the Naval Forces of China’s People’s Liberation Army of China completed practical tasks within this framework of bilateral naval exercise.”

The ministry reported that “The ships of both countries searched jointly for a submarine belonging to a conditional enemy, and fired a volley at jet depth charges.”

The ministry released video of a group Russian and Chinese warships in East China Sea. Russian sailors spoke Mandarin to their Chinese counterparts, and Russian ships fired missiles.

Russia was once the leader of the global Communist hierarchy. However, after 1991’s collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is now a junior partner with a resurgent China. China already leads some 21st-century technologies.

According to TASS news agency, Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, will speak with President Vladimir Putin before end of year.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge at +79856400243; Editing By Tomasz Janowski