US Navy Vice Admiral Explains Goals of USS Porter Approaching Near Russian Border

The US warship, armed with cruise missiles and interceptors, marks the seventh entry of an American missile destroyer into the Black Sea since the beginning of the year, as well as the second of the USS Porter.

Commander of the US 6th Fleet Vice Admiral Lisa Franchetti has commented on the USS Porter's arrival in the Black Sea.

According to a statement published in the newspaper Stars and Stripes, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was deployed to an area near Russia's borders in order to carry out routine operations, showing NATO allies and US partners in the region the country's "dedication to freedom of navigation".

The Admiral Essen frigate alongside the Vyshny Volochek and Orekhovo-Zuyevo small missile ships are tracking movements of the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG-78) that entered the #BlackSea on Saturday - @mod_Russia🇷🇺 National Defense Control Center pic.twitter.com/ckaXOr85dE

— Russia in USA 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbUSA) October 13, 2019

Soon after the USS Porter entered the area, three ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet began to escort the American vessel.