The naval aviation of Russia’s Baltic Fleet has carried out exercises over the Baltic Sea near the border with Poland.

The exercises were conducted from Donskoye airbase in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad Oblast, bordering Poland, Lithuania, and the Baltic Sea.

The Russian Ministry of Defence posted the video on social media with the message: “The pilots of fighter, mixed aviation, and mixed helicopter regiments of the Baltic Fleet naval aviation unit flew over the region’s mainland and sea.

“Fighter pilots and bombers worked out the tactics of conducting air combat with planes of a conventional enemy. The crews performed a number of complex combat training exercises in the air, where special attention was given to piloting techniques through offensive and defensive manoeuvres at different altitudes.

“At the same time, at Donskoye airbase in the Kaliningrad region, the crews of the Mi-24 attack helicopters and the Mi-8 and Ka-27 transport helicopters of the Baltic Fleet naval aviation also carried out scheduled training flights.

“As part of the combat training missions, the crews of the Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters performed takeoff and landing exercises and carried out training approaches to attack ground targets of a simulated enemy.

“Pilots of Ka-27 helicopters also performed takeoff and landing tests, performed flights in certain areas over the sea to reveal the surface situation, and also searched for imaginary enemy submarines at day and night.

“In total, about 20 different aircraft were involved in the scheduled naval aviation flights.”

The exercise comes amid heightened tensions between NATO powers and Russia.