"Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) began its scheduled southbound transit from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea after conducting maritime operations alongside @NATO allies and partners, Dec. 15, 2021", the fleet tweeted.
NATO countries previously held naval drills near the Russian border, amid escalating activity by the alliance in the region. Moscow has repeatedly slammed NATO's activities in the area as a provocation to spur tensions and pursue a policy of containment of Russia.