Russia had started military exercises involving its Baltic Fleet, air force and paratroopers in the Kaliningrad Region, an exclave on the Baltic Sea, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

"The drills are taking place just as the international drills Saber Strike-2014 and Baltops-2014 begin in Europe," the ministry said.

"The number of Russian Defense Ministry's troops and equipment involved is comparable with the number of personnel, weapons and military hardware involved in the border exercises conducted by NATO countries," it said.

The Russian war game involved vessel groups, airborne troops and Marine Corps units, Su-34 fighter-bombers, Mi-24 helicopters and Tu-22M3 bombers, according to the ministry.

Saber Strike-2014 started Monday in the ex-Soviet Baltic states with about 4,700 troops from 10 countries, and another NATO drill, Baltops-2014, was launched Friday and will end on June 21 in the Baltic Sea.