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MOSCOW (PTI): US intelligence services and other countries in the Far East are closely monitoring the grand naval drills being conducted by the Russian Navy.

“The naval phase of Russia's Vostok-2010 (Orient-2010) military exercises has drawn increased attention from the intelligence services of the United States and Asia-Pacific countries,” a senior Russian Navy source was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

On June 29, Russia launched the biggest ever post-Soviet war games in the eastern part of the country involving 20,000 troops, up to 70 combat aircraft and 30 warships, including North Fleet's nuclear powered guided missile cruiser ‘Pyotr Veliky’ (Peter-the-Great), world's biggest non-aircraft carrier battleship.

The increased activity of intelligence gathering aircraft, particularly Japanese, has been noticed in close proximity to the area where the drills are being held.

Attempts to collect intelligence data by foreign navies about the activities of the (Russian) Pacific Fleet were registered sea and air.

“This was not a surprise for the Pacific fleet, their intelligence-gathering operations had not disrupted the drills, which will conclude on July 8,” the agency's naval source said.

Experts here say the intelligence gathering and eavesdropping is a normal practice among the world navies during the war games of potential adversaries, who also take countermeasures to prevent the leakage of sensitive data.