Top Russian, US generals discuss Mediterranean drills in rare call

Dec 5

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Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Russia’s top military officer called his U.S. counterpart last week to warn of live-fire missile tests in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The advance notice was given to U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown amid heightened tensions between the United States and Russia. Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that the call aimed to prevent incidents in the region.

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Russia’s Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov informed Brown about the naval drills, which included hypersonic Zircon missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles launched from frigates and submarines. The exercises also involved Onyx missiles fired from coastal systems, according to the ministry.

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The drills were conducted near U.S. Navy ships, including destroyers providing missile defense for Israel and amphibious ships carrying more than 2,000 Marines. Hypersonic missiles like Russia’s Zircon are of particular concern due to their speed and maneuverability, making them more challenging to defend against.

This was the first conversation between the two military leaders since Brown became Joint Chiefs chairman in October 2023. The Pentagon confirmed the two generals discussed global security issues, including the conflict in Ukraine, though Gerasimov did not provide specifics on the weapons used during the drills.

The communication occurred during a period of escalating U.S.-Russia tensions. The United States has allowed Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles against Russian targets, while Russia has conducted intermediate-range ballistic missile strikes in Ukraine. Reports also suggest thousands of North Korean troops are now on the battlefield in support of Russia.

Russia’s naval exercises reportedly involved more than 1,000 personnel, 10 ships and 24 aircraft, including MiG-31 fighter jets. The drills were described by the Russian Defense Ministry as being in compliance with international protocols and agreements.

Tags: Hypersonic missile, Mediterranean, missiles, Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, Russian Defense Ministry, The Pentagon

[ryan robertson]

RUSSIA’S TOP GENERAL CALLED HIS U.S. MILITARY COUNTERPART LAST WEEK TO WARN OF LIVE-FIRE MISSILE TESTS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
THE HEADS-UP, GIVEN TO U.S. JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN C.Q. BROWN–CAME AMID ONGOING TENSIONS BETWEEN THE US AND RUSSIA…WITH RUSSIA SAYING THE CALL WAS INTENDED TO PREVENT INCIDENTS IN THE REGION.

RUSSIA’S CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF GEN. VALERY GERASIMOV INFORMED GEN. BROWN, ABOUT THE NAVAL DRILLS, WHICH INCLUDED HYPERSONIC ZIRCON MISSILES AND KALIBR CRUISE MISSILES LAUNCHED FROM FRIGATES AND SUBMARINES. THE EXERCISES ALSO INVOLVED ONYX MISSILES FIRED FROM COASTAL SYSTEMS, ACCORDING TO RUSSIA’S DEFENSE MINISTRY.

THE DRILLS UNFOLDED NEAR U.S. NAVY SHIPS, INCLUDING DESTROYERS PROVIDING MISSILE DEFENSE FOR ISRAEL AND AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS CARRYING OVER 2,000 MARINES. HYPERSONIC MISSILES LIKE RUSSIA’S ZIRCON ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNING BECAUSE THEY’RE FAST AND HIGHLY MANEUVERABLE, MAKING THEM HARDER TO DEFEND AGAINST.

THIS WAS THE FIRST CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE TWO MILITARY LEADERS SINCE BROWN ASSUMED THE ROLE IN OCTOBER OF 2023. THE PENTAGON CONFIRMED THE TWO DISCUSSED GLOBAL SECURITY ISSUES, INCLUDING THE WAR IN UKRAINE, BUT GERASIMOV DID NOT SHARE DETAILS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC WEAPONS INVOLVED IN THE DRILLS.

THE COMMUNICATION COMES DURING A PERIOD OF HEIGHTENED U.S.-RUSSIA TENSIONS. THE U.S.IS LETTING UKRAINE USE LONG-RANGE ATACMS MISSILES AGAINST RUSSIAN TARGETS, WHILE RUSSIA CONDUCTED INTERMEDIATE-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE STRIKES IN UKRAINE. NOT TO MENTION THE THOUSANDS OF NORTH KOREAN TROOPS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

RUSSIA’S NAVAL DRILLS REPORTEDLY INVOLVED MORE THAN 1,000 PERSONNEL, 10 SHIPS, AND 24 AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING MIG-31 FIGHTER JETS. THE EXERCISES WERE DESCRIBED AS COMPLIANT WITH INTERNATIONAL PROTOCOLS AND AGREEMENTS.

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