The Romanian navy on Thursday conducted multinational military exercises in the Black Sea region that brought together US and NATO troops as the 30-nation alliance seeks to bolster security on its southeastern flank amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
The sea and air exercises are part of a series of exercises known as Sea Shield 2023 involving around 3,400 servicemen from 12 NATO member countries and some partner nations.
The Romanian navy said Thursday’s exercises in the Mahmudia region of the Danube delta, which flows into the Black Sea, would demonstrate how the combined forces would “neutralise an enemy air landing” in an area adjacent to that waterway.
More than 30 warships, 14 aircraft and 15 “rapid response” boats and other patrol vessels are taking part in Sea Shield 2023, which started on March 20 and runs until April 2. biological and nuclear defense specialists.
NATO HEAD SAYS UKRAINE ‘WILL BECOME A MEMBER OF OUR ALLIANCE’ IN ‘LONG TERM’
Military exercises conducted by the Romanian Navy in the Black Sea brought together NATO and US forces. (Fox News)
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In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO has strengthened its presence on Europe’s eastern flank by sending additional multinational battlegroups to alliance members Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia.
Romania, which joined NATO in 2004, played an increasingly important role in the alliance during the war, even hosting a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in November.
Last month, US and French troops who are part of a NATO battlegroup in Romania held joint combat exercises at the Black Sea training range in Capu Midia. The drills involved approximately 350 Battlegroup soldiers practicing firing live ammunition from a US-made multiple rocket launcher. The Ukrainian military used the HIMARS system in the fight against Russia.
