Russian ships take part in international exercises on Black Sea

Naval ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet (whose base is in Sevastopol, the Crimea) will take part in the international naval exercises of the Black Sea Naval Group of Operational Interaction - Black-Sea-Force-2003.

"The ships of the Navies of Turkey, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia will also take part in these exercises which are carried out for the third time now and which are purely of a humanitarian character," said assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Igor Dygalo.

According to him, "the Black Sea Naval Group of Operational Interaction was formed with the aim of strengthening friendship, good relations and mutual confidence among the coastal countries of the Black Sea and also for strengthening peace and stability in the region through expanding cooperation and interaction between the Navies." "The tasks of the Group include joint actions in rendering humanitarian aid, rescuing operations, environmental protection actions, exchange of friendly visits, and so on and so forth," said Igor Dygalo.