US Destroyer Laboon Holds Black Sea Drills With Romanian Corvette - Navy

MOSCOW, June 24 (Sputnik) – The USS Laboon destroyer entered the Black Sea on Sunday in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, an ongoing series of maritime and land-based military exercises to enhance and support NATO as a response to what is considered Russian aggression in Ukraine. Moscow has maintained it has no hand in the military confrontation between government forces and independence militias in southeastern Ukraine.

"Since no single nation can combat global threats alone, we must collectively work together to share information, share experiences, and work together for regional stability," the warship’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Christopher McCallum, was quoted as saying on the naval forces' website Tuesday.

McCallum said the Laboon gained "valuable experience operating with the Romanian Navy in a series of exercises."

The USS Laboon and Romanian Admiral Eustatiu Sebastian corvette held joint maneuvers on Monday and Tuesday. The US destroyer repelled a simulated enemy air attack, played by the Romanian corvette-based helicopter, as part of the drills.

The USS Laboon is fitted with two Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Systems, capable of deploying long-range Tomahawk subsonic cruise missiles.

Russia views NATO’s activities along its western frontier as an implied threat to its national security. The military bloc's increased presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltics has seen a sharp increase in 2015.