Blackseafor warships to hold drills

Warships from the Black Sea Naval Group, the Blackseafor, will conduct three-week drills starting on Wednesday, the Russian Black Sea Fleet press service said on Tuesday.

It said the Russian Navy will be represented during the so-called Blackseafor Activation by the RFS Yamal large amphibious landing ship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which on Tuesday left Sevastopol for the Romanian port of Constanta where the Blackseafor command will be transferred from Bulgaria to Romania.

The warships will be deployed in the Black Sea from August 11-30 and will make calls at the ports of Constanta, Varna and Sevastopol.

The main focus will be on maintaining stability and peace in the region, promoting cooperation and strengthening mutual understanding among the Black Sea countries.

The drills will include tactical maneuvering by surface warships, air defense and communication.
The previous Activation took place on April 9-27, with more than 50 drills conducted across an area of 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers).

The Blackseafor was formally established in 2001 on Turkey's initiative and comprises Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Georgia and Russia. It conducts search and rescue operations and environmental monitoring, and organizes goodwill visits to Black Sea countries.