The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday denied media reports that Kalibr cruise missiles were not launched in the first attempt at the Grom (Thunder)-2019 military drills, saying journalists became again "victims of deception by amateur experts."
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2019) The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday denied media reports that Kalibr cruise missiles were not launched in the first attempt at the Grom (Thunder)-2019 military drills, saying journalists became again "victims of deception by amateur experts."The Grom-2019 strategic command post exercises were held from October 15-17. President Vladimir Putin supervised major test-launches of ballistic and cruise missiles on land, air and sea last Thursday.
"The information published by RBC news outlet about the alleged initial launch failure of�Kalibr missiles from the Tatarstan and Grad Sviyazhsk warships is rubbish from beginning to end," the ministry said in a statement.
According to the ministry, the launch of Kalibr from the Grad Sviyazhsk corvette was normal and successful, and "was subsequently shown to the Russian and international audience on main television channels."
"In addition, the Tatarstan missile frigate ... has never been armed with and is not being currently equipped with sea-based Kalibr cruise missiles. Therefore, it could not launch these missiles at all," the ministry stressed.
"It is regrettable that RBC, without conducting elementary fact-checking, and in pursuit of citation ratings using the topic of discrediting the successful Grom-2019 exercise, was once again the victim of deception by amateur experts," the ministry concluded.
