"The equipment and personnel of the Black Sea Flee implement a set of measures to control the activities of the vessels and aircraft of the NATO Allied Maritime Command, participating in the Sea Breeze-2020 exercise. The active phase of the NATO Allied Maritime Command's drills Sea Breeze-2020 is being carried out in the north-western area of the Black Sea. Ships and aviation equipment of the US Navy and partner nations take part in the maneuvers," the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement.
The Sea Breeze-2020 international military exercises began on Monday in the Black Sea, Oleksiy Neizhpapa, commander of the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said. According to him, the exercises are being conducted to "work out a wide range of missions in the sea, where urgent challenges and threats to the international security system are now emerging".
About 2,000 servicemen from nine countries, 27 warships and 19 aircraft are taking part in the Sea Breeze naval drills. This year's participants include Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.