Military training exercises, involving shooting drill, scheduled for July 7 in Novorossiysk
The city of Novorossiysk is set to host live-fire drills today, with the primary focus being the defense against attacks from unmanned boats and UAVs (drones). These drills, which will take place at the port area, simulate real-world threats faced in the Black Sea region, such as drone swarms and drone boat assaults.
To ensure safety, strict safety measures have been put in place. Navigation is banned during the exercises, affecting all types of watercraft, including small vessels. Underwater activities, such as work and scuba diving, are also prohibited. The ban is necessary to avoid any potential collisions or accidents during the live-fire activity.
The drills will occur at two specific times: from 11:00 to 13:00 and from 21:00 to 23:00. These timing constraints are in place to minimize risks to civilian shipping and port activities, as well as to restrict artillery fire to designated safe zones within the port area to avoid collateral damage.
The event is being organized by the press service of the city-hero's administration, who have reported that the exercises will involve practical actions to repel attacks. The primary means of defense will be artillery installations in the port, which will be used to shoot down or disable smaller, low-signature targets before they can reach critical naval or port infrastructure.
In addition to the artillery installations, air and maritime notifications and alerts will be issued to inform any other users in the area of the live-fire activity. The exercises will also use controlled target drones and unmanned boats designed specifically for training, ensuring safety for all involved.
These live-fire drills are part of a larger emphasis on defensive preparedness in the region, given recent drone and maritime drone attacks on Russia's Black Sea fleet. By rehearsing the defense against unmanned threats, Novorossiysk is taking proactive steps to counter emerging asymmetric threats common in the Black Sea conflict environment.
The sports of underwater diving and navigation on small vessels will be temporarily suspended during the live-fire drills due to safety concerns. In the port area of Novorossiysk, the practical actions to repel attacks will primarily involve the use of artillery installations and controlled target drones, designed for training purposes.
