Russian Baltic Fleet corvette conducts exercises with the Iranian Navy in the Gulf of Oman

Russian Baltic Fleet corvette exercises with the Iranian Navy

At a time of heightened sensitivity in the Middle East, a corvette from the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet conducted combined exercises with Iranian Navy units in the waters of the Gulf of Oman. This key area provides access to the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, where the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-78) is located. The news agency TASS reported that the vessel involved was the Stoikiy (545), a Steregushchiy-class corvette, which carried out manoeuvres focused on training and naval co-operation.

Although the statement did not provide extensive operational detail, the activity falls within what are known as “Passex” exercises. These involve training in communications, formation sailing, tactical manoeuvres and procedures related to maritime security.

One of the most notable elements of the exercise is the Russian vessel’s origin. The involvement of a Baltic Fleet corvette represents a long-range deployment, crossing several maritime areas before reaching the Indian Ocean. Such rotations are part of Russia’s policy of maintaining a sustained naval presence in theatres far from its territorial waters, combining naval diplomacy, military co-operation and training missions in operational environments alongside regional allies and friendly countries.

The Stoikiy (545) is a Project 20380 corvette that has been in service since 2014. The ship is more than 100 metres long, has a beam of 13 metres and a displacement of 2,220 tonnes. Its armament includes Uran anti-ship missile systems and the Redut air-defence system.

Alongside this deployment, other Russian Navy units have been operating in the Pacific and other strategic regions. This is illustrated by Pacific Fleet corvettes sailing towards the Sea of Japan after completing anti-submarine exercises near the Kuril Islands archipelago. In this context, the presence of a Baltic Fleet unit in the Gulf of Oman indicates that the Russian Navy is maintaining active rotations across several theatres at the same time.

The Gulf of Oman as a strategic setting

The latest exercise, as well as the visit to Iran, carries particular significance because of the area in which it took place. The Gulf of Oman is the gateway to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of global trade passes. In the current regional environment - shaped by tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme and an increased military presence - any multinational naval activity in these waters takes on an additional political and diplomatic dimension.

For Tehran, conducting manoeuvres with a naval power such as Russia strengthens its narrative of military co-operation and its ability to operate alongside extra-regional partners. For Moscow, meanwhile, this kind of exercise enables it to retain visibility and influence in a region where the United States and its allies maintain a permanent naval presence.

Russia, Iran and naval activity in the Indian Ocean

Finally, it is important to note that this is not the first occasion on which the two countries have conducted activities in the Indian Ocean or the Gulf of Oman. In recent years, the two states - at times alongside China - have held naval exercises centred on maritime security and countering non-conventional threats. One of the latest examples of this closeness occurred on 20 January, during the multinational Will for Peace 2026 exercise, when the navies of China, Russia and Iran joined forces in South Africa to conduct naval activities with BRICS+ member countries.