NATO ships

22:37
Fri, March 17, 2017
Telegraph

UNIAN

Photo: mil.gov.ua

Arrived in Odessa the crews of ships of NATO will hold joint exercises with the Ukrainian sailors.

Arrived today on a visit to Odessa crews of four ship s of NATO will hold joint exercises with the Ukrainian sailors. This was announced at a press conference held on Friday on Board the headquarters ship ORP Czernicki K. X. (“Kont-Admiral Xavier Chernitsky” Navy of Poland). The commander of ORP Czernicki K. X. Alexander Urbanovich leads the campaign group of ships, which also includes three marine trawler – ESPS Duero (Spain), FGS Rottweil (Germany) and TCG Alanya (Turkey).

As noted Urbanowicz, the Ukrainian seamen, together with foreign colleagues will hold joint exercises.

“We will show you how to perform various tasks to exchange experiences and improve future relations”, – said the commander of the ship. In particular, NATO troops will demonstrate mastery of the scuba and anti-mine equipment, will be a joint development of methods of struggle for survivability of a vessel.

It was noted that some of the classes will be held on land. According to the Deputy chief of staff of the Navy command of the armed forces of Ukraine for Euro-Atlantic integration, the captain 1st rank Andrei Ryzhenko, it relates to exercises with individual means of respiratory for radiation, chemical and radiological protection.

“It’s very important to use this experience,” he said, stressing the importance of the visit of the aforementioned ships for the further development of cooperation between the Ukrainian Navy and NATO.

Will also be held tactical maneuvers at sea: manoeuvring, radio communication, etc.

“We are contacts best use in favor of the revival of the national Navy. We all make our contribution to collective security in the Black sea, and in the future – and in the oceans, as it was before 2014,” said Ryzhenko.

As noted during the press conference Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania in Ukraine Marius Janukonis, the arrival of NATO ships in the port of Odessa is evidence of practical cooperation between Ukraine and NATO.

“Today is an important day, an important event for Odessa, Ukraine – four NATO ships arrived in the port of Odessa. This is proof of the practical cooperation between Ukraine and NATO. It also shows that NATO is your friend and partner with whom Ukraine is successfully cooperating within the frameworks of many programs,” the diplomat said.

He added that joint activities are necessary to the Ukrainian Armed forces have reached the NATO standards by 2020, “as recorded in the official documents of the government of Ukraine”.

As explained in the press center of command of naval forces of VSU, the NATO ships will stay in the port of Odessa till March 20.