"After completing training tasks in two tactical groups, seven ships of the Turkish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Spanish, Canadian, US Navy and a Turkish submarine merged in one group to practice anti-submarine defense tasks at the final stage of the Sea Shield 2017 drills," the source said.
The NATO military exercises with the participation of Ukraine started on February 1. Approximately 2,800 personnel from Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, the United States, Canada, Spain and Ukraine, as well as a total of 16 warships and ten aircraft, were expected to participate in the 10-day exercises. However, the Greek vessel did not arrive.
Before merging, the first tactical group, including two Turkish vessels, operated north of the Romanian port of Constanta, while the second group, which consists of four ships from the United States, Canada, Romania and Spain, operated south of Constanta.
Russia’s Black Sea fleet is observing the drills using several intelligence ships, marine aviation and onshore facilities.
The Sea Shield 2016 took place in the Black Sea in July 18-22, 2016.
