The Russian fleet will take part in over 40 tactical military drills by the end of this year, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Korolyov said Saturday.

“By the end of the year, Russian warships and submarines will take part in more than 40 tactical exercises with various navy groups,” the Admiral said in St. Petersburg.

“The Russian Navy will partake in a series of international navy drills – the Russian-Chinese Joint Sea 2016 navy exercise, the Russian-Egyptian Friendship Bridge 2016 exercise, and the Russian-Indian Indra 2016 maneuvers,” Adm. Korolyov continued.

Russian Defense Ministry’s Chief of the State Defense Order Implementation Department said that Russia’s first ice-capable patrol ship to be deployed to the Arctic will be laid down this year and is planned to be commissioned in 2019 at the latest.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Chief of the State Defense Order Implementation Department I rank Captain Andrei Vernigora said earlier this month that Russia’s first ice-capable patrol ship to be deployed to the Arctic will be laid down this year and is planned to be commissioned in 2019 at the latest.

“This autumn, ice-capable patrol vessels will be laid down, the contract has been signed. The first vessel will be commissioned in 2018 or 2019,” Vernigora said during a launching ceremony for Ilya Muromets, Russia’s first new icebreaker in 40 years.

The new generation diesel-electric icebreaker Ilya Muromets, designed for the Russian Navy, was launched at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg on 10 June 2016.

Russia has been stepping up its military, trade and exploration activities in the Arctic. It has been building transport and energy production infrastructure, as well as installing military facilities and developing the Northern Sea Route linking Europe and Asia.