Ukraine and US launched joint naval exercises “Sea Breeze drills”

Ukraine and the United States recently launched joint naval exercises in the Black Sea in a show of Western cooperation with Kiev as it faces off with Russia.

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The Sea Breeze drills — which have taken place 21 times since 1997 — will involve some 5,000 military personnel from more than 30 countries.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and claims the waters around the peninsula as part of its territory. Most countries do not recognise the takeover and stand behind Ukraine’s claims to the waters.

Washington is a key ally of Kiev in its conflict with Moscow over Crimea and pro-Moscow separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.

In 2018 Russian forces boarded and took control of three Ukrainian Naval ships off the Black Sea peninsula.