6 NATO warships arrive in the Black Sea to participate in exercises near Crimea

According to AP, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said on March 13 that six warships had arrived at the Romanian port of Constanta, on the Black Sea coast, near the area adjacent to the Crimean Peninsula annexed by Russia last year, to participate in NATO maritime exercises this weekend.

In a statement, NATO said the three-day training exercise, called “SNMG-2,” was led by US Navy Rear Admiral Brad Williamson.

The US guided-missile destroyer USS Vicksburg participates in exercises in the Black Sea. (Source: AFP)

Ships participating in the exercise include the US guided-missile destroyer USS Vicksburg, as well as a German frigate and warships from Canada, Türkiye, Italy and Romania.

These exercises are part of a regularly scheduled deployment to the Black Sea region to demonstrate NATO's commitment to collective defense of its allies.

According to a spokesman for the Bulgarian Navy, the exercise categories include simulated anti-submarine and anti-aircraft combat operations and simulated small boat attacks.

Since Moscow's annexation of Crimea, NATO has conducted a series of exercises in eastern Europe to reassure member states concerned about Russia's intentions following the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine.

In response, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the country's armed forces have begun large-scale exercises in southern Russia and disputed territories on its borders, including Crimea./.

According to VNA