Photo from eer.ru
U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) has kicked off a two-day exercise with the Ukrainian navy Frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy (U 130), Ukrainian newspaper Europeiska Pravda reported on Tuesday, with reference to the official report of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet.
The purpose of the U.S. warship's presence in the Black Sea is to reassure NATO allies and regional partners of the United States’ commitment to working closely with them to enhance maritime security and stability in the region, the U.S. Navy said.
"Working with our partners in the Black Sea helps build greater regional awareness. Naval exercises with partners like Ukraine allow us to increase our joint capabilities and interoperability," said Commanding Officer of the USS Ross Commander Tadd Gorman.
"As always, [the Ukrainians’] conduct was very professional, and working with them today made our relationship stronger," he said.