Ukraine and the United States have launched Sea Breeze 2020, the 2oth iteration of the annual naval exercises hosted by the two countries. Sea Breeze has been held near Ukrainian shores since 1997.
On July 20, Ukrainian and NATO forces practiced complicated maneuvers in interoperability in the northern parts of the Black Sea.
According to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, the 7-day maneuvers are expected to involve over 20 warships and nearly 2,000 servicepersons of 9 nations: Bulgaria, Georgia, Norway, France, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and the U.S.
A Ukrainian Navy Kamov Ka-27 helicopter lands on the Hetman Sahaidachmiy frigate during Sea Breeze 2020 exercises on July 20, 2020. (Ukraine's Ministry of Defense)
This year, Sea Breeze is smaller than in 2019. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NATO and Ukraine resolved to refrain from carrying out ground maneuvers that traditionally involve multinational naval infantry forces.
Instead, Sea Breeze 2020 is purely focusing on the naval component with the involvement of air forces. Personnel on the warships will not come in close contact with one another to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Ukraine’s naval flagship Hetman Sahaidachniy sails near the shores of Odesa during the Sea Breeze exercises on July 20, 2020. (Ukraine's Ministry of Defence)
Taking part in the maneuvers are the U.S. Navy’s destroyer USS Porter and NATO’s Standing Maritime Group. Ukraine’s flagship, frigate Hetman Sahaidachniy, welcomed both ships in the Black Sea early on July 20.
During Sea Breeze 2020, the U.S. Navy’s aircraft Boeing P-8 Poseidon is expected to engage in simulated anti-submarine warfare missions. Apart from that, the program envisages exercises in establishing radio communications, countermine warfare, cooperation with naval aviation, air defense, naval interception and a simulated rescue mission in the open sea.
As in previous years, the exercises’ foremost goal is to practice multinational naval operations against potential full-scale aggression by Russia in the aquatic area.
“As we all know, the Black Sea, unfortunately, ceased to be (secure) a long time ago,” Rear Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpala, the leader of Ukraine’s navy, was quoted as stating on July 20.
“So such exercises… are a confirmation of the fact that the United States and the NATO nations stand for peace and stability in our region of the Black Sea.”
A Ukrainian naval serviceperson mans a heavy machine gun on board Ukraine’s flagship Hetman Sahaidachniy during the Sea Breeze exercises on July 20, 2020.
