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NATO boosts its presence in Black Sea, Russian Defense Ministry says

The overall duration of their missions has increased by 33% compared to last year

© AP Photo/Gero Breloer

MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. The missions of NATO warships in the Black Sea are lasting 30% longer in 2020, Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of Russia’s General Staff Sergei Rudskoi said at a briefing at the National Defense Management Center on Friday.

"The number of NATO warships’ visits to the Black Sea remains high. The overall duration of their missions has increased by 33% compared to last year. Up to 40% of them carry long-range, high-precision weapons," he pointed out. In this regard, Rudskoi mentioned the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt aircraft carrier, which can carry up to 90 Tomahawk cruise missiles.

"The aircraft carrier is currently in the Black Sea along with three other ships from non-Black Sea countries. The Black Sea Fleet timely detected NATO’s ships, started to escort them and track them with weapons," Rudskoi added. According to him, apart from ships, NATO has also boosted the presence of strategic aircraft and aerial and maritime surveillance equipment in the Black Sea.

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