NATO flotilla enters Black Sea for training amid Ukraine crisis

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

NATO flotilla enters Black Sea for training amid Ukraine crisis
BRUSSELS Wed Mar 4, 2015 6:51pm GMT


(Reuters) - A NATO flotilla arrived in the Black Sea on Wednesday to train with ships from the Bulgarian, Romanian and Turkish navies, the U.S.-led Western alliance said.

Tensions in the Black Sea region are running high because of the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine and Russia's annexation of the country's Crimea Peninsula last year.

"NATO regularly deploys ships to the Black Sea for maritime awareness and training. This scheduled deployment, given Russia's continued assertiveness, carries an additional message of reassurance to allies in the region," a NATO official said.

The multinational naval rapid reaction force commanded by U.S. Rear Admiral Brad Williamson consists of flagship USS Vicksburg, a guided missile cruiser, and five other ships.


Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/03/04/uk-ukraine-crisis-nato-idUKKBN0M026J20150304?rpc=401

[True Blue Door]

1. Good.

I'm tired of that fascist tyrant having the run of the region.

[davidpdx]

2. NATO invades Russia

Oh wait, this isn't RT.

[Bugenhagen]

3. Ah the old Black Sea, or as they call it "More Tonkinov"

I wonder which genius thought this idea up.

[jakeXT]

4. Any bets on running aground ?

Lavrov's accusations appear to refer to the USS Taylor, one of the ships that visited the Black Sea during the Sochi winter Olympic games, said Can Devrim Yaylali, author of the blog Bosphorus Naval News. That ship ran aground in the Black Sea and had to be repaired in Samsun, Turkey (and its commanding officer was relieved of duty as a result). The accident forced the ship to remain in the Black Sea for 33 days, and under the Montreux Convention warships of non-Black Sea nations (like the U.S.) are limited to 21 days. "Technically she overstayed her time in the Black Sea; on the other hand she was not fit to conduct any operations. And this was known to everyone," Yaylali said in an email interview with The Bug Pit.

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/68241

[Duckhunter935]

5. Good thing

I know the Putin supporters will have a cow

[yurbud]

9. are there Putin supporters here or just people with historical memory and skeptical of propaganda?

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. I can't wait for the joint Russian-Venezuelan exercises in the Caribbean.

[yurbud]

7. or Lake Michigan

[hack89]

8. That would be worth a laugh or two. nt

[Duckhunter935]

10. So what

I have no issue with that