site.btaNATO Ships Have Spotted Russian Vessels in Black Sea

NATO Ships Have Spotted Russian Vessels in Black Sea

Varna, March 8 (BTA) - Russian vessels and aircraft were spotted
during navigation in the Black Sea, Rear Admiral Brad
Williamson, Commander of visiting here Standing NATO Maritime
Group Two (SNMG2), said at a news conference on board of the US
ship VICKBURG.

He would not comment on the actions of the Russian ships
because, as he put it, they followed their plans, and the NATO
ships - theirs and there was nothing to cause an alarm. He
recalled that the visit of the NATO vessels was planned already
last year and is a part of the rotating exercises. Williamson
specified that NATO ships may not stay in the Black Sea for more
than 21 days within the Montreux Convention.

NATO will have a joint exercise with the navies of Bulgaria and
Romania in the Black Sea. Bulgaria will participate with the
Drazki Frigate. Short-range manoeuvring, operations with a
helicopter and other exercises are included In the programme.

Commodore Malen Choubenkov, Commander of the Naval Base-VMS,
also took part in the news conference.

On Saturday, the vessels of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two
(SNMG2) could not anchor in Varna Port due to the bad weather.