Astana, Kazakhstan, Oct. 8
By Daniar Mukhtarov - Trend:
Kazakhstan and Russia completed their joint naval drills in the Caspian Sea, the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan said Oct. 8.
The crews of the ships taking part in these drills worked out the tasks on protection of strategic sites in Kazakhstan's territorial and economic waters.
The ministry said the coordination during the drills was maximally brought to that of the combat situation.
The drills involved a tactical group of rocket-artillery ships "Kazakhstan", "Oral" of the Kazakh Navy, and "Dagestan" and "Grad Sviyazhsk" of the Russian Navy.
"The Kazakh Navy Commander in Chief, Rear-Admiral Zhandarbek Zhanzakov believes that all participants of the drills demonstrated good seamanship, competent and skilful action in the task," the ministry said.
"The best crew members of the Russian and Kazakh navies were named after the drills. These are the First Lieutenant Aybek Zhumanov and Captain 1st Rank Valery Smirnov," according to the message.
The ministry said Zhanar Ibrayeva, the first woman in the Kazakh Navy's history, the signaller of the "Oral" missile gunship, also took part in the drills.