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US Navy amphibious assault ship enters Black Sea

It joined the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter, according to the Ukrainian web portal Dumskaya

US Navy’s amphibious assault ship Oak Hill AP Photo/Charles L. Withrow, USN, pool

US Navy’s amphibious assault ship Oak Hill

© AP Photo/Charles L. Withrow, USN, pool

KIEV, June 19. /TASS/. The US Navy amphibious assault ship Oak Hill entered the Black Sea where it joined the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter, The Ukrainian web portal Dumskaya reported on Friday.

"The dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD-51) entered the Black Sea yesterday evening. It joined the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter DDG-78," the web portal said.

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US Navy amphibious assault ship begins transit into Black Sea

The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter entered the Black Sea on June 17.

The press office of the US 6th Fleet reported on Thursday that the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill began its northbound transit into the Black Sea on June 18 "to conduct maritime security operations and strengthen [US] relationships with region partners and allies."

The visit by the Oak Hill is the fourth entry of the US Navy ships into the Black Sea since early 2020. The ship is organically assigned to the Bataan amphibious ready group in the Mediterranean Sea. The Oak Hill displaces over 19,000 tonnes, is 186 meters long and 26 meters wide, has a draft of 6.5 meters and develops a speed of 25 knots. The warship is currently carrying marines of the 26th marine expeditionary unit and the amphibious assault personnel.

Russia’s National Defense Control Center announced on Wednesday that the Southern Military District’s forces and capabilities started tracking the US guided-missile destroyer Porter that had entered the Black Sea.

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