ST. PETERSBURG. July 10 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Black Sea Fleet Staff is keeping a wary eye on the Sea Breeze 2017 exercise that began off the Ukrainian coast in the Black Sea and on Ukrainian soil on Monday with the participation of 16 countries, among them the United States and Ukraine, a source with knowledge of the situation told Interfax-AVN.
"The Black Sea Fleet's Priazovye reconnaissance ship is directly conducting surveillance on the activity of ships of the participating states. Radio-technical and aerial reconnaissance means are also engaged," he said.
It was reported earlier that the Sea Breeze 2017 exercise would take place in the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions of Ukraine and the northwestern parts of the Black Sea from July 10 through July 22. A joint anti-submarine warfare operation will be a key episode of the exercise.