As Ukraine attacks in Kursk, the Russian Navy sets out to "liberate" Dudinka

Thousands of kilometers away from the battles in Ukraine, the Russian Navy is unfolding a series of exercises in far northern waters. During their visit to Dudinka, the port town on the Yenisey River, Northern Fleet soldiers fought back against enemy troops that had occupied the port terminal.

The exercise is part of a several weeks long Arctic voyage that includes rounds of training along the remote north Siberian coast. It takes place as Ukrainian forces successfully occupy larger parts of the Russian Kursk region.

In Dudinka, as if in a parallel reality, Navy sailors fight so-called enemy saboteurs. A carefully staged video shows how soldiers attack with speedboats and a helicopter, and troops and heavy machinery are put on the shore with landing ship Aleksandr Otrakovsky.

The 112 meter long vessel is one of a dwindling number of Russian landing ships following Ukraine’s successful attacks in the Black Sea. Among the ships seriously damaged in the attacks is the Northern Fleet ship Olenegorsky Gornyak.

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The Northern Fleet’s Arctic voyage includes four ships, among them the Aleksandr Otrakovsky, destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov, support ship Altai and oil tanker Sergei Osipov.

It is the 13th annual voyage of the kind. It is due last two months and include operations across the Northern Sea Route, including its easternmost parts.

The four Northern Fleet vessels set out from Severomorsk in the Kola Bay on the 5th of August. On the 13th of August, they arrived in Dudinka and the exercise in the local port was held on the 20th.