NATO builds up presence in Black Sea after ship attacks
NATO is beefing up its military presence in the Black Sea after a series of attacks on commercial vessels near the coast of Romania and Bulgaria. The Alliance is sending additional patrol aircraft, radar systems, drones, and intelligence personnel to the region.
This was announced on October 20 by NATO Military Command spokesman Colonel Martin O'Donnell, Reuters reports. The announcement came after a meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Brussels, which focused on security in the Black Sea region.
According to O'Donnell, the allies have already sent or are preparing to send additional equipment and experts, including teams to examine the remains of explosive devices after the attacks. Above all, NATO will concentrate on reinforcing Maritime Situational Awareness, threat detection, and intelligence-sharing between Alliance countries.
Some of the additional forces have already begun operating. As Bulgarian News Agency BTA reports, Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed on October 20 that a US P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft had begun reconnaissance flights over the Black Sea.
Sofia's plea for assistance was met with whoosh, as allies swung into urgent procedure. Bulgaria previously requested that NATO reinforce air patrolling, provide counter-drone systems and extra surveillance equipment. The Bulgarian Defense Ministry had additionally widened the employment of helicopters of own drones overseeing the coastal waters.
NATO's decision comes amid constant harassment of civilian ships in the region. On October 14–15, explosions were spotted near the Sulina port after as drones attacked tankers Yara J and Wine Trader in the territorial waters of Romania in Sulina zone. Both vessels caught fire. Recalling that able bodies, one rescued five sailors from tanker Wine Trader, with crew of seven reported missing at first.
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