NATO forces conclude Black Sea deployment

NATO naval vessels left the Black Sea after visiting Ukraine and participating in two regional exercises.

This has been the second deployment of NATO forces to the Black Sea this year.

As part of their deployment, NATO Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) participated in the Bulgarian exercise ‘Breeze’. It involved 27 vessels, 9 aircraft, and 2,413 sailors from ten countries (Bulgaria, Belgium, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Spain, Romania, US, Turkey, and France).

“An excellent opportunity to work in a demanding and challenging maritime environment.
Breeze 2020 constituted an excellent opportunity for SNMCMG2 to work in a demanding and challenging maritime environment. Furthermore, it contributed to the development and maintenance of highly trained forces that can integrate seamlessly, thus building our collective deterrence and defense. Warm thanks go to the Bulgarian Navy for such a fruitful exercise,” said Captain Dimitrios Katsouras of the Hellenic Navy, Commander of SNMCMG2.

SNMG2 also joined the annual US-Ukraine exercise Sea Breeze between 20-24 July 2020. The exercise focused on multiple warfare areas including air defence, anti-submarine warfare, damage control, and search and rescue and involved more than 2,000 personnel.