The US actions in the Black Sea are connected with the study of a possible theater of military operations when Ukraine is preparing a military solution in the Donbass. This was announced on Tuesday, November 9, by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Russia.
The ministry added that at the moment the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation is carrying out a set of measures to monitor the actions of US Navy ships. The Ministry recalled that since October 30, American destroyers have been on the territory of the Black Sea.
"Taking into account the fact that in addition to the US Navy, tactical, patrol and strategic aviation, as well as contingents of the armed forces of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine are planned to be involved in the exercise. There is a study of the alleged theater of military operations in the case of Kiev's preparation of a military solution in the southeast," the Russian ministry said in a statement.
Such actions, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, are a destabilizing factor in the entire Black Sea region.
On October 30, the headquarters of the Sixth Fleet of the US Navy and Naval strike forces and NATO support forces began operations in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. The American Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer USS Porter has begun transit to the Black Sea to interact with NATO allies and partners in the region. On November 7, the Sixth Fleet of the US Navy published photos of its ships in the Black Sea.
On November 4, the forces and means of the Russian Black Sea Fleet began monitoring the actions of the flagship of the US Navy USS Mount Whitney, which entered the Black Sea. En route to its destination, the flagship stopped in Istanbul to later join the US Navy destroyer Porter.
On November 7, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on the same day that ships of the US Navy were entering the Black Sea in order to check the protection of the Black Sea coast and the south of Russia. He pointed out that not only the United States is trying to "test" Russia in this way.
At the same time, Murat Katlanc, a member of the Turkish youth Association of TGB, stressed on November 9 that the goal of the United States is to break the Montreux Convention. This, according to the association, will allow the American side to start a war in the Black Sea.
On the same day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Izvestia that Russia was ready for any provocations by NATO. He also expressed the opinion that the military exercises of the alliance are connected with the desire of the United States and its allies to increase the policy of containment of the Russian Federation contrary to all the provisions of the Russia–NATO founding act, which, according to the diplomat, was completely violated in its key part.
