Contents tagged with Black Sea

  • Ukraine strengthens control over the Black Sea

    On Monday, February 11th, the State Border Service reported that the Ukrainian Marine Guard strengthened control over the government border on the Black Sea. 

    Over the course of the week, the naval guard ships accompanied foreign vessels from the entrance of the territorial waters of Ukraine to the ports of destination. 

    “This practice allows strengthening measures to prevent attempts at an illegal approach to the small vessels and other illegal actions in the territorial waters of Ukraine,” …

  • German warship to enter Black Sea for NATO mission

    The Werra, a replenishment ship belonging to the German Navy, will travel to the Black Sea in February as part of a permanent NATO anti-mine group. The naval vessel will visit two Bulgarian ports, Burgas and Varna,  Deutsche Welle reports citing a spokesperson for Germany’s Defense Ministry.

    According to the source, the transfer has been planned for a long time. “There is no plan to deploy other German naval vessels in the Black Sea,” the spokesperson noted.

    After Russian special forces  …

  • Kyiv: Germany is ready to send warships to the Black Sea

    During a meeting with the Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense, Anatoliy Petrenko, representatives of the German government assured their readiness to support Ukraine and to send German warships to the Black Sea region to deter Russian aggression. 

    The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s press service reports that the Ukrainian delegation in Germany discussed the Ukrainian security question with the Commissioner for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, German Foreign Minister Michael Siebert …

  • Stoltenberg: NATO and Georgia are concerned about Russia’s military buildup in the Black Sea

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated at a press conference with the Georgian President Salomé Zourabichvili that the North Atlantic Alliance and Georgia are concerned about Russia’s military buildup in the Black Sea region. 

    "We are stepping up our cooperation at sea, including training for Georgian Coast Guard boarding teams, more cooperation between Georgian and NATO naval forces and cooperation between Georgia’s Joint Maritime Operations Centre and NATO’s Maritime Command,” …

  • Kyiv: Ships that caught fire in Kerch Strait were used for illegal gas shipments to Syria

    The gas tankers Maestro and Venice, which caught fire near the Kerch Strait, have been involved in illegal gas shipments to Syria since 2016, Ukraine’s Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories reported, citing information from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

    “According to the US Treasury Department’s OFAC, the ships Venice and Maestro have been involved in illegal gas shipments to Syria since 2016,” the statement reads.

    According to international monitoring systems, the …

  • Russian military say they are monitoring USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea

    The Russian military stated that they are monitoring the presence of USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea, reported the National Defense Management Center of Russia on January 19. 

    “Forces of the Black Sea Fleet started monitoring the US Navy’s guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook right after it entered the waters of the Black Sea,” Interfax cites the center as saying. The US naval destroyer is currently being followed by the Pytlivy, a Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol vessel. 

    Russia stated …

  • US missile destroyer enters the Black Sea

    The USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) is heading for the Bosporus strait through the Dardanelles, and will enter the Black Sea within several hours, the US Sixth Fleet Command announced.

    “The US and the US Navy continue to stand alongside our allies and partners in support of shared regional interests and maritime stability,” said Matthew J. Powell, commander of the destroyer. “Our arrival into the Black Sea will showcase the Navy’s interoperability in pursuit of common security objectives in this …

  • Russia sends guided-missile destroyer Severomorsk to the Black Sea

    On Wednesday morning, the guided-missile destroyer Severomorsk (hull number 519) of the Russian Northern Fleet  entered the Black Sea, as reported by Bosphorus Strait marine spotter Yoruk Isik, on his Twitter blog.

    “Russia brings real fire power to Black Sea. Backbone of the Fleet: Project 1155 Northern Fleet Udaloy class destroyer, armed with SA-N-9 Gauntlet/Kinzhal & SS-N-14 Silex/Rastrub & 533mm torpedoes, Severomorsk 619 transited Bosphorus en route to Sevastopol,” Yoruk Isik wrote.

    The …

  • Dutch NATO warship intends to enter the Black Sea

    Ukraine’s Mission to NATO Head Vadym Prystaiko stated on TV channel “112 Ukraine” that a Dutch warship, head of a permanent NATO group, plans to enter the Black Sea, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

    “If one reads the official statement by the US Defense Department regarding the ship [USS Fort McHenry large landing ship] entering   the Black Sea, then it is understood that the ship comes to provide support to NATO allies and partners. There are three NATO allies in the Black Sea: Bulgaria, Romania and …

  • The Pope expresses concern about the conflict in the Donbas

    On Monday, January 7, Pope Francis expressed his concern about the conflict in the east of Ukraine during the New Year's reception of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. He also added that in the conflict that has been going on for five years, “new alarming events in the Black Sea” recently occurred. However, he did not mention Russia.

    The head of the Roman Catholic Church urged adherence to a “peaceful resolution of the conflict” and called for respect for international law, …