 Russia, starting a show of military power in the Indian Ocean. The Russian Navy's cutting-edge frigate Admiral Kortrov, carrying Sirkhan hypersonic missiles, will replenish supplies at the Syrian port of Tatus and participate in the joint drills with the Chinese and South African navies in its long-distance deployment, a military diplomatic source told TASS. In its long-distance deployment, the Admiral Kortrov will call at the logistics base in the Syrian port of Tatus, following which it will participate in the joint drills with the Chinese and South African navies, the source said. The naval drills involving naval ships from South Africa, Russia and China will run on February 17 to 27. As the South African Defence Ministry said in a statement posted on its website, the upcoming 10-day drills will take place near the coastal town of Durban and Richards Bay in the Indian Ocean with the aim of sharing operational skills and knowledge. The exercise aims to strengthen the already flourishing relations between South Africa, Russia and China, the statement read. The first such trilateral navy exercise took place off South Africa's southwestern Atlantic coast near Cape Town in November 2019. This time, the navies from South Africa, Russia and China will exercise in the waters between the town of Durban and Richards Bay, located at a distance of 87 nautical miles, or 161 km. South African top brass earlier reported that Russia would be represented by two warships in the drills, according to the preliminary data. The frigate admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union Kortrov has been deployed in distant waters under the command of northern fleet missile ships. Russian commander Captain First Rank Oleg Gladkiy, the warship's deployment aims to ensure Russia's naval presence in strategically important areas of the world ocean.