BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2019) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has deployed a group of vessels to the Black Sea for participating in the Sea Shield exercise and working with partners from Georgia and Ukraine, Boudewijn Boots, the commander of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2), said.
"#SNMG2 enters the Black Sea for a #NATO deployment in which we exercise with Allies and Partners ... "[The frigates] are looking forward to exercise #SeaShield and to our work with our Ukrainian and Georgian partners," Boots, who is the Royal Netherlands Navy commodore, wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
Boots added that the frigates, engaged in the exercise, included the Netherlands' HNLMS Evertsen, Spain's ESPS Santa Maria, Canada's HMCS Toronto, Bulgaria's BGS Drazki, Turkey's TCG Yildirim and Romania's ROS Regele Ferdinand.
Last year, the Sea Shield exercise was held on May 7-13 with the participation of SNMG2. The drill was devoted to enhancing interoperability and defense against aircraft, ships and submarines.
Over the past years, NATO has been seeking to enhance its presence in the Black Sea.
