Russia starts navy drills in eastern Med

Russia's navy on Monday launched drills including artillery and missile fire in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the defence ministry said.

"A Russian navy attack group started tactical drills in the east of the Mediterranean Sea," the ministry said in a statement.

"During the drills the ability of the navy's forces to deal with resolving crises of a terrorist nature will be tested," it said.

Russia has previously beefed up its naval forces in the area to support its bombing campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Two of Russia's newest Buyan-class corvettes will take part in the exercises along with vessels already stationed permanently in the area, the ministry said.

It said the gunboats are equipped with the latest long-range missile system which was used to bombard Islamic State targets in Syria last year.

The exercises are the latest in a series of manoeuvres conducted by Moscow's forces since relations with the West fell to their lowest point since the Cold War over the conflict in Ukraine.