From RIA Novosti:  Warships from the six nations participating in the international Black Sea Naval Force (Blackseafor) exercise left the Bulgarian port of Varna for the active phase of the drills, the Russian Black Sea Fleet command said on Tuesday.

Bulgaria’s Reshitelni corvette, Georgia’s Sukhumi coastal patrol boat, Russia’s Ropucha-I class Novocherkassk large landing ship, Romania’s Macelariu corvette, Turkey’s Heybeliada corvette and Ukraine’s Cherkassy minesweeper will conduct a three-day exercise at sea, Russian Black Sea Fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev said. . . .

Blackseafor was established in 2001 on Turkey’s initiative and comprises Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Georgia and Russia.   (photo: Sergey Anashkevitch/RIA Novosti)

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