Egyptian and Russian naval forces started on Thursday their joint military exercise dubbed “Friendship Bridge – 3” in the Russian territorial waters in the Black Sea and it will continue for several days, said the Egyptian army.

The joint drills kicked off after the Egyptian vessels and units arrived at Russia’s Novorossiysk seaport a couple of days following their departure from a naval base in Egypt’s Alexandria, Egyptian military spokesman Tamer al-Refai in a statement.

The naval drills are launched “to enhance the prospects for military cooperation” between the two countries, he added.