Russian Baltic Fleet Corvette Conducts Exercises with Iran in the Gulf of Oman Near USS Abraham Lincoln

Russian Baltic Fleet corvette exercises with Iran in the Gulf of Oman

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

While the announcement did not provide full operational details of the activity, it falls within the category of “Passex” exercises. These involve training in communications, formation sailing, tactical manoeuvres and maritime security procedures.

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

Stoikiy (545) capabilities and service

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

Russian Navy deployments across multiple theatres

Alongside this deployment, other Russian Navy units have been sailing in the Pacific and in other strategic regions. This is illustrated by Pacific Fleet corvettes heading towards the Sea of Japan after completing anti-submarine exercises near the Kuril Islands arc. 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 recent exercise, as well as the visit to Iran, carries particular significance because of the area in which it took place. The Gulf of Oman serves as the gateway to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a substantial share of global trade passes. In the current regional environment - shaped by tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear programme and a strengthened 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 reinforces its narrative of military cooperation and its ability to operate alongside partners from outside the region. For Moscow, meanwhile, exercises of this kind allow it to retain visibility and influence in a region where the United States and its allies maintain a permanent naval presence.

Finally, this is not the first occasion on which the two countries have carried out activities in the Indian Ocean or the Gulf of Oman. In recent years, the two nations - sometimes alongside China - have held naval exercises focused on maritime security and countering non-conventional threats. One of the most recent examples of this growing closeness took place 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.

Cover image used for illustrative purposes.

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