The participating ships fired their main and auxiliary guns during the exercise. The participating ships fired their main and auxiliary guns during the exercise. Journalists Qian Xiaohu and Ren Xu reported that at around 14:00 today, with the successful completion of the "Anchorage Defense" exercise of the naval fleet, the "Northern United 2023" exercise completed various scheduled exercises. At the closing ceremony that followed, the exercise commander announced the successful conclusion of the exercise. Since the opening of the exercise on July 20th, focusing on the theme of "maintaining the security of maritime strategic channels", China and Russia have jointly planned, commanded, and operated their sea and air forces. They have conducted multiple practical exercises, including sea and air escort, deterrence and displacement, and anchorage defense. They have effectively honed and tested their practical combat capabilities in distant seas and areas, and have made innovative breakthroughs in the organizational form of joint exercises and the integration mode of forces, achieving the expected goals. At the closing ceremony, the exercise commander stated that this exercise is a major action taken by the Chinese and Russian militaries to jointly maintain the safety of the maritime strategic channel, and will play a positive role in improving the level of strategic cooperation between the two militaries and maintaining regional peace and stability. In the past four days, the personnel of the Sino Russian Joint Campaign Command have deeply integrated, and all participating officers and soldiers have been continuously fighting, demonstrating good military literacy and training levels. They have achieved the expected goals of deepening mutual trust, enhancing friendship, and enhancing capabilities, continuing a new chapter of friendly cooperation between the Chinese and Russian armies. The deputy commander of the exercise, Russian Rear admiral Kazakov, said in his speech that the exercise strengthened the ability of China and Russia to respond to naval and air military threats, and believed that the Russian and Chinese navies would further strengthen exchanges and cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability. (Photographed by reporters Qian Xiaohu and Liu Dan) (Xinhua News Agency)