Russian Navy Starts Own Drills in Black Sea Amid NATO Sea Breeze Exercises

SEVASTOPOL (Sputnik) - The Russian Navy has begun scheduled exercises in the Black Sea, as NATO’s Sea Breeze naval drills are currently taking place, the press service of the Southern Military District said.

The Sea Breeze exercise, which began on 1 July, are conducted by NATO and several allies, including Ukraine and Georgia, in the northwestern region of the Black Sea. They will end on 12 July.

"A Russian naval task force has begun a series of planned combat training exercises in the Black Sea," the press service said in a statement.

The drills involve some ten warships, including two large landing ships, two guided-missile corvettes and several missile boats.

According to the statement, warships will conduct live missile and artillery firing drills at the final stage of the exercises.