Russians start maneuvers in Mediterranean

The Russian navy and air force will hold large-scale maneuvers in the Mediterranean from this weekend until 8 September.

In the air, strategic bombers of the type (Tupolev) Tu-160, Tu-142 fighter planes against submarines and (Sukhoi) Su-33 fighter planes are active. The Russian government has stressed that the maneuvers have nothing to do with the civil war in Syria. Moscow would like to quickly clear up the last strongholds of Sunni extremists and insurgents against President Assad's regime.