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Russian warships and helicopters during a 2020 military exercise
Photo: MAXIM SHIPENKOV / EPA-EFE
After the start of two military maneuvers with NATO participation in Ukraine, Russia's navy held its own exercises in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea Fleet announced on Friday that several ships had fired artillery and rockets.
There were units that were stationed on the Crimean peninsula, which Russia incorporated in 2014.
In addition to more than 20 ships, submarines, helicopters and airplanes were also involved.
In the past few months, several military maneuvers by Russia and the West had created new tensions.
An exercise is currently underway in western Ukraine with the participation of the USA and other NATO countries.
Almost 25 kilometers from the EU state Poland, around 6,000 soldiers from around a dozen countries will train combat missions, as the Ministry of Defense announced in Kiev.
During the annual US-Ukrainian maneuver "Rapid Trident" (fast trident), offensive and airborne operations will also be practiced until Friday next week.
The Bundeswehr sent an observer.
At the same time, another exercise with 12,500 soldiers from eleven NATO countries will be held across Ukraine, including in the Kherson area bordering the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
Military exercises created tension
Ukraine has been training regularly with units from NATO countries since the 1990s.
The goal of joining the Western military alliance has been anchored in the constitution since 2019.
It was only in June that the Russian Black Sea Fleet said it had forced a British warship to change course with warning shots and bombs on the Crimean peninsula.
Russia concentrated more military units than before along the border, while Ukraine was preparing to call up reservists.
Ukraine is under massive threat from Russia.
Russia has annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and is also providing military support to rebels in eastern Ukraine.
In the past few years there have been several militarily sensitive situations along the Russian-Ukrainian border.
muk / dpa