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Russia’s ships, missile systems put on duty due to NATO exercise in Black Sea

NATO’s Sea Shield-2019 exercise began in the southwestern part of the Black Sea on Monday

Spanish frigate from the Standing NATO Maritime Group Arkhip Vereshchagin/TASS

Spanish frigate from the Standing NATO Maritime Group

© Arkhip Vereshchagin/TASS

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MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. The Russian Black Sea Fleet’s reconnaissance and attack ships and coastal missile systems have been put on duty in connection with NATO’s exercise in the Black Sea, the National Defense Control Center (under the Defense Ministry) told TASS on Monday.

The center said that for rapid reaction to likely emergencies the Black Sea Fleet was carrying out a package of measures to monitor NATO’s ships.

"In the designated areas of the Black Sea reconnaissance ships and also naval attack groups, coastal missile systems Bastion and Bal and naval aircraft are on duty," the Defense Control Center said.

The center recalled that NATO’s Sea Shield-2019 exercise had begun in the southwestern part of the Black Sea on Monday, with ships and aircraft from the United States, Bulgaria, Greece, Canada, the Netherlands, Romania and Turkey taking part in cooperation with representatives of Georgian and Ukrainian armed forces.

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