Russia is conducting large-scale Ocean Shield-2019 naval exercises in the Baltic Sea from Thursday to Aug. 9, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

A total of 49 ships and combat boats, 20 support vessels, 58 aircraft of the Navy and the Aerospace Force as well as 10,634 personnel are participating in the drills, it said in a statement.

The main task of the drills led by Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Nikolai Yevmenov is to practice the deployment of the inter-fleet grouping of the Navy.

Another task is to check the readiness of the Navy to protect national interests and the managing skills of its commanders, it said.

Russia held its first Ocean Shield drills in September 2018 in the Mediterranean.