Top Russian, US generals discuss Mediterranean drills in rare call

[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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