Indonesian, Russian Navies Launch First-ever Joint Exercise In Java Sea

JAKARTA, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian and Russian navies have commenced their first-ever joint exercise, Orruda, aimed at enhancing military cooperation and operational interoperability between the two nations.

The five-day exercise, which concludes on Friday, is taking place in East Java, with a harbour phase in Surabaya and a sea phase in the Java Sea.

According to a statement from the Indonesian National Armed Forces Information Centre, the exercise is a result of a 2018 naval meeting between the two countries and a commitment to strengthening mutual understanding in maritime security.

“This exercise is part of our ongoing efforts to improve cooperation and security in the maritime domain,” said Indonesia’s Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Dr Muhammad Ali, in a statement.

“We hope this collaboration will contribute to peace and security in the region, and provide further opportunities to deepen our partnership through concrete actions,” he said.

The exercise kicked off with an opening ceremony on Monday, attended by Indonesian Naval Fleet commander Rear Admiral Dr Denih Hendrata, who represented Muhammad, and Russian ambassador Sergey Gennadievich Tolchenov.

“Maritime security is crucial for every nation with interests at sea,” Denih said, adding that the exercise is designed to align both nations’ perspectives on protecting and respecting each other’s sovereignty.

Russian Navy Flotilla commander Rear Admiral Aleksei Tysuev stressed the importance of the drills in ensuring both navies remain prepared for any unforeseen maritime challenges.

The Indonesian Navy has deployed several assets for the exercise, including the KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai-332, KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368, and an AS 565 MBE helicopter.

The Russian Navy has sent corvette-class warships RF Rezky, RF Gromky, and RF Aldar Tsydenzhapov, as well as the medium tanker Pechenga, a KA-27 helicopter, and the salvage tug Alatau.

-- BERNAMA