At a time of heightened sensitivity in the Middle East, a Baltic Fleet corvette of the Russian Navy carried out combined exercises with units of the Iranian Navy in the waters of the Gulf of Oman—a key area providing access to the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, where the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-78) is currently operating. The information was reported by the TASS news agency, detailing that the vessel involved was the corvette Stoikiy (545), a Steregushchiy-class ship, conducting maneuvers focused on training and naval cooperation.
Although the official statement did not elaborate on all operational details, the activities fall within what are known as “PASSEX”-type exercises, involving communications training, formation sailing, tactical maneuvers, and procedures related to maritime security.
One of the most relevant aspects of the exercise is the origin of the Russian vessel. The participation of a Baltic Fleet corvette implies a long-distance deployment, transiting multiple maritime spaces before reaching the Indian Ocean. It should be noted that such rotations form part of Russia’s policy of sustained naval presence in theaters far from its territorial waters, combining naval diplomacy missions, military cooperation, and training in operational scenarios with regional allies and partner countries.
The corvette Stoikiy (545) belongs to Project 20380 and has been in service since 2014. The ship measures over 100 meters in length, has a beam of 13 meters, and a displacement of 2,220 tons. Its armament includes Uran anti-ship missile systems and the Redut air defense system.
Parallel to this deployment, other Russian Navy units have been conducting operations in the Pacific and other strategic regions, as evidenced by the presence of Pacific Fleet corvettes heading toward the Sea of Japan after completing anti-submarine exercises near the Kuril Islands. In this context, the presence of a Baltic Fleet unit in the Gulf of Oman reflects the image of the Russian Navy maintaining active rotations across multiple theaters simultaneously.
The Gulf of Oman as a strategic setting
The recent exercise, as well as the visit to Iran, takes on particular significance due to the area in which it was conducted. The Gulf of Oman serves as the gateway to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global trade transits. In the current regional context—marked by tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and the reinforcement of military presence—any multinational naval activity in these waters carries additional political and diplomatic weight.
For Tehran, conducting maneuvers with a naval power such as Russia reinforces its narrative of military cooperation and its ability to operate alongside extra-regional partners. For Moscow, this type of exercise allows it to maintain visibility and influence in a region where the United States and its allies sustain a permanent naval presence.
Finally, it is important to note that this is not the first time the two countries have carried out activities in the Indian Ocean or the Gulf of Oman. In recent years, both nations—sometimes alongside China—have conducted naval exercises focused on maritime security and countering non-conventional threats. One of the most recent examples of this closeness took place on January 20, during the Multinational Will for Peace 2026 exercise, where the navies of China, Russia, and Iran gathered in South Africa to conduct naval activities with BRICS+ member countries.
Cover image used for illustrative purposes.
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