Russia, Ukraine to launch joint naval drills June 19

PanARMENIAN.Net - Some 15 warships and auxiliary vessels will take part in Russian-Ukrainian anti-piracy exercises in the Black Sea on June 19-25, a Russian Black Sea Fleet spokesman said, according to RIA Novosti.

The Fairway of Peace 2013 drills will focus on joint missions to counter piracy and terrorism threats in the region.

“The Russian Navy will be represented by the Bora missile hovercraft , the Muromets ASW corvette, the P-60 missile boat and the Turbinist mine sweeper,” Capt.1st Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachev told reporters on Thursday.

The drills will also involve several Russian Su-24 attack aircraft, a Be-12 ASW plane and a Ka-27PS search-and-rescue helicopter.

The Fairway of Peace drills were conducted for the first time in 1997. They were held every two years until 2003.

After a long break caused by the straining of relations between Moscow and Kiev during Viktor Yushchenko presidency in Ukraine, the sides resumed the drills in 2010 with a computer-assisted command post exercise.

Since 2011, the Fairway of Peace drills are held annually and involve warships as well as other naval assets of both navies.