"The warships of the Black Sea Fleet left their home base to enter the fleet group in the Black Sea. The detachment of ships sailed to predefined areas where it will control and monitor the situation underwater, above the surface and in the air", the statement read.
It added that the group subsequently returned to its home base and began carrying out its routine exercises "against the backdrop of the NATO Sea Shield 2019 drills which were good support for the Black Sea Fleet forces in practicing their warfare skills in real-world conditions", the statement pointed out.
READ MORE: Canadian MP Calls on NATO to Send More Subs to Black Sea
The Russian Defence Ministry said Monday that the Russian Black Sea Fleet had put its vessels on duty over possible emergency situations related to NATO's Sea Shield 2019 naval drills.
The Romanian-led NATO drills were carried out in the Black Sea on 5-12 April. According to NATO, the exercise "involved more than 20 ships and crews from Romania, Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, the Netherlands and Turkey, as well as Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the United States and Turkey".
READ MORE: Russian Navy Ships Escort NATO Warships in Black Sea — MoD
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said earlier that increase of NATO activities in the Black Sea entails risks to the security of the entire region.
"Our positions are clear: any NATO efforts in the Black Sea region are senseless from a military point of view. They will not strengthen the security of either the region or NATO itself, but will be associated with additional military risks", the diplomat said.
READ MORE: USS Donald Cook Departs Black Sea After Third 2019 NATO Drills — Pentagon
Meanwhile US Envoy to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison has said that Washington was working on a package of measures that included air surveillance and more NATO ships going into the Black Sea.
