Nato members hold naval exercise near Crimea

A Turkish soldier stands guard in a Black Sea port ahead of a Nato naval exercise. Photograph: Sasa Kavic/Reuters

Natos Black Sea members Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey joined the US, Canada, Germany and Italy in a multinational naval exercise just across the water from the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia last year.

The naval rapid reaction force in the Black Sea drills consists of a US flagship, the guided missile cruiser USS Vicksburg, and ships from the six other participating states.

Nato has held a series of exercises in eastern Europe since the Russian armys move into the region to reassure members jittery about Russian intentions in the wake of the Ukraine crisis.

The training will reportedly include simulated anti-air and anti-submarine warfare exercises, as well as simulated small boat attacks and basic ship handling manoeuvres.

Russian exercises

Last week, Russias ministry of defence said its forces had begun large-scale military exercises in southern Russia and in disputed territories on Russias borders, including the Crimea region.

Relations between Russia and the West are at their most strained since the Cold War. The Ukrainian government and the West accuse Russia of directing a separatist assault in eastern Ukraine with its own troops and weapons. Russia denies those accusations.

Once a close ally of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria joined Nato in 2004 and is one of six eastern European countries that will host new command units staffed with national and Nato soldiers, that are being set up in response to the Ukraine crisis.

US training

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Nato members hold naval exercise near Crimea