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Russian aircraft conduct training fights above Black Sea amid NATO exercise

An international naval exercise codenamed Sea Breeze-2021 is being held in the Black Sea with NATO countries and Ukraine taking part

Su-30SM multirole fighter jet Erik Romanenko/TASS

Su-30SM multirole fighter jet

© Erik Romanenko/TASS

SEVASTOPOL, July 3. /TASS/. The naval aviation of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, jointly with the Southern Military District air forces, carried out training flights above the Black Sea amid the Sea Breeze 2021 exercises of NATO and its partners in the region, the Black Sea fleet’s press service said in a statement on Saturday.

"Plane crews of the Black Sea fleet’s naval aviation and air defense units, jointly with the Southern Military District’s aviation, carried out training flights above the Black Sea, practicing missile and bomb attacks on vessels of a notional enemy. The Black Sea fleet’s naval aviation was represented by Su-30SM multirole fighter jets and Su-24M front-line bombers, the Southern Military District - by Su-34 fighter bombers and Su-27 air superiority fighter jets," the statement says.

As part of the exercises, a Be-12 amphibious aircraft carried out target reconnaissance in the Black Sea. A notional enemy’s naval task force was imitated by two large landing ships, the Saratov and the Orsk.

At the moment, an international naval exercise codenamed Sea Breeze-2021 is being held in the Black Sea with NATO countries and Ukraine taking part. This largest naval exercise in more than 20 years will last till July 10. The drills are expected to involve about 4,000 personnel, 40 warships, boats and auxiliary vessels and over 100 vehicles, including armored ones.

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