The maneuvers are called “FRUKUS-2012”, which is an abbreviation for the participating countries – France, Russia, the UK and the US.

 

The participants are perfecting their skills of sea battles and rescue operations.

 

Each of these four countries has sent one ship to these maneuvers. Russia is represented by escort vessel “Yaroslav Mydry”, the UK – by destroyer “York”, the US – by cruiser “Normandy” and France – by destroyer “De Grasse”.

 

A representative of the Russian Navy says: “The maneuvers will be held in three stages. The first stage will be the preparations. They will take place in the Russian port of Baltiysk.”

 

“The second stage will last from June 27 till 30. At this stage, the ships will leave the port and enter the open sea. They will train repelling attacks of small vessels, joint maneuvering of the ships, repelling attacks from the air, artillery shooting and saving a drowning person. Besides, a scenario of helping a wrecking ship will be included.”

 

“At the third sage, the ships will sail to St. Petersburg, where the results of the maneuvers will be summed up.”

 

The Russian Navy’s supreme commandment believes that these maneuvers will help to establish more trust between the navies of the four countries. This may surely help if real joint rescue actions or operations against threats of sea attacks may become needed.

 

The maneuvers’ headquarters are in St. Petersburg. All the four countries are represented in the commandment, but the major role belongs to Russia.

 

In the free time between the exercises, the crews of the four ships will meet for competitions in volleyball, swimming, football, bowling and billiards.

 

In the end, a reception of the maneuvers’ participants by supreme commanders of the Russian Navy will be held.

 

The history of these maneuvers started in 1988. In fact, initially, they were not maneuvers but talks between the navies of Russia, the UK and the US (France joined them only in 2003.) Thus, initially, they were called RUKUS. With time, from talks, the sides transferred to maneuvers. They were initiated as command war games, but since 1996, they are held in open sea.

 

The maneuvers are held every year, in each of the four countries in turn.