Moscow, July 1, (dpa/GNA) – Russian ships have fired their guns while on Black Sea exercises that are taking place at the same time as naval manoeuvres conducted by Ukraine, the United States and other countries, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
The crews of the Orsk and Saratov landing ships had fired at targets on the surface and in the air, the ministry said.
Earlier this week Russia tested its air defences on the Crimean Peninsula. Pilots from units of the Black Sea Fleet and the air force took part in the exercise, according to the press service of the Southern Military District on Tuesday.
International manoeuvres in the Black Sea have led to a series of close military encounters involving Russian forces since last week.
The Dutch Defence Ministry tweeted on Tuesday that Russian jets had caused “a dangerous situation in the Black Sea near HNLMS Evertsen” last week when aircraft repeatedly flew low over and close to the ship and carried out mock attacks.
The Russian Defence Ministry said that fighter jets had flown at a secure distance to warn the warship.
In a separate incident last week, the Russian fleet stationed at Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula said warning shots had been fired and bombs dropped to force Britain’s HMS Defender warship to change course.
The British Defence Ministry denied that any such incident had taken place.
On Monday, an international two-week naval exercise called Sea Breeze began in the Black Sea co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine.
Troops from Ukraine, the US and nearly 30 other largely NATO countries are participating in the annual naval manoeuvres in the north-western area of the Black Sea.
Russia sees the exercise as a threat to its security and has urged the US to call it off.
GNA