Ukraine crisis: six Russian amphibious landing ships headed to Black Sea for drills
- The warships are heading to the Black Sea from the Mediterranean for what Moscow calls naval drills
- Despite moving over 130,000 troops to the Ukrainian border, Russia denies plans to invade Ukraine
Six Russian amphibious assault ships are sailing into the Black Sea to take part in naval exercises, according to Russia’s Ministry of Defence. The move delivers more Russian military power closer to Ukraine as tensions persist.
The Russian ships are moving into the area to “work out the actions of the Navy and Aerospace Forces to protect Russian national interests in the world ocean, as well as to counter military threats to the Russian Federation from sea and ocean directions,” Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Russia previously announced a number of military exercises covering all areas of responsibility for the Russian fleet.
Altogether, Russia’s massive military drills, which will span multiple waterways around the world, not just the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, will include over 140 warships and support ships, over 60 aircraft, 1,000 units of unspecified military hardware, and about 10,000 troops, the ministry said.
The Russian landing ships Korolev, Minsk, and Kaliningrad have passed through Dardanelles Strait, and the Pyotr Morgunov, Georgy Pobedonosets, and Olenegorsky Gornyak will pass through on Wednesday.