Russia's Black Sea Fleet and Bal-Bastion systems had the USS command ship Mount Whitney in sights immediately after the US warship entered the Black Sea.
The photo of the US warship appeared in Turkish media outlets and on social networks. According to Interfax, the command of the US Sixth Fleet has not exposed the purpose of the mission in the Black Sea.
The USS Mount Whitney will most likely interact with other NATO partners. The Mount Whitney has been to the Black Sea before more than once. In particular, the ship assisted Georgia in the fall of 2008. The USS Mount Whitney was also on duty in the Black Sea during the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014.
According to the US military doctrine, the Black Sea is included in the zone of responsibility of the Sixth Fleet of the US Navy. According to international conventions, the ships of non-Black Sea countries are allowed to stay in the Black Sea for not more than 21 days.
Pravda.Ru
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