Flagships of three Russian fleets have united in Russia's Far East for the large-scale naval exercises in the Sea of Japan in June, a Pacific Fleet spokesman said on Wednesday.

The flagship of the Black Sea fleet, the Moskva missile cruiser, arrived at a naval base near Vladivostok on Wednesday and teamed up with the flagship of the Northern Fleet, the Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser, and the flagship of the Pacific Fleet, the Varyag guided-missile cruiser.

"After the Moskva crew has had a short rest, warships of three Russian fleets will sail to the Sea of Japan to complete combat training tasks and hold naval drills," the official said.

During the exercises, warships of the three Russian fleets will conduct live firing at naval and aerial drones and practice combat interoperability and repelling simulated attacks by hostile submarines and aircraft.

Earlier reports indicated that the naval drills would be part of the Vostok-2010 strategic exercises in Siberia and the Russian Far East in June-July.

The land drills will involve units from the Far Eastern, Siberian and Volga-Urals military districts.

The units will practice the deployment of additional troops to strengthen the existing military contingent in the region in case of a potential military conflict.

Russia holds Vostok strategic exercises every two years. More than 8,000 troops took part in Vostok-2008.

VLADIVISTOK, May 26 (RIA Novosti)