The Caspian fleet of the Russian navy undertakes extensive exercises in the southern military district of Russia, according to TASS. Warships of the fleet are being held in the highest combat readiness. More than ten ships are underway, including the missile carriers ‘Uglich’, ‘Sviyazhk Grad’ and ‘Dagestan’. An exact time frame for the maneuvers has not been specified.

"The radio-technical units of the Caspian Fleet have started collecting, processing, analyzing and issuing permanent information about the naval situation in the context of the combat readiness control," reads the statement.

The Caspian fleet, one of the oldest components of the Russian Navy, is to be transferred from Astrakhan on the northern shore of the Caspian Sea to the Dagestani city of Kaspijsk, the Russian news site RBC reported in April 2018. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, a large construction site for the Equipment quay, barracks and service points have been established there. The number of officers and military personnel should be increased as well. The first stage of the construction of the new naval base is expected to be completed in 2019.