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Four Pacific Fleetâ€™s Warships Leave Russia for China

15 April 2012 03:59 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Four Russian warships from the Pacific Fleet, as well as support vessels, warplanes, helicopters and naval infantry, will leave Vladivostok on Sunday for a joint exercise with Chinese naval forces, a spokesman for the fleet said, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti.

The Russian Navy will be represented by the guided missile cruiser Varyag, and three large antisubmarine ships in an exercise that is to take place between April 22 and 29 in the Yellow Sea.

â€œThree antisubmarine vessels and the Varyag will leave the port of Valdivostok today for the exercise. They are expected to be in China on April 22,â€ the spokesman said.

In all, more than 20 Russian and Chinese warships and support vessels will participate.

Since 2005, China and Russia have conducted several joint military exercises within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The group also includes the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and aims to promote regional cooperation and check U.S. influence.