Russian navy to join NATO in drills for first time in decade

The Russian navy will take part in military drills with multiple NATO members for the first time since 2011, Russia's Southern Military District announced on Thursday.

The drills will involve 30 countries, with 10 engaging their fleets and the rest sending observers.

The Aman-2021 drills will involve anti-piracy exercises off the coast of Pakistan in February.

The NATO countries involved include the UK, the United States and Turkey, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti. Participants will also include Pakistan, China and Japan.

The last time the Russian navy participated in exercises with multiple NATO members was in the 2011 Bold Monarch drills off the coast of Spain. Since then, it has held drills with Turkey alone, a country with which Moscow enjoys closer ties. 

NATO told reporters that the alliance itself "has no exercise planned with Russia," even if NATO countries were involved on an individual basis.

"Our practical cooperation remains suspended as a consequence of Russia's illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014," an official said. 

Relations between NATO and Russia have deteriorated in recent years following a change of government in Ukraine and Russia's subsequent annexation of Crimea. NATO released a report earlier this month saying that Russia would remain a significant threat in the coming decade. China too has been identified as a significant force.

aw/msh (Reuters, AFP, dpa)