US, Ukraine drill spike tensions between NATO and Moscow

The Sea Breeze drills, led by Ukraine and the United States, follow a spike in tensions between NATO and Moscow after Russia last week said it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British warship to expel it from its territorial waters near Crimea.(Photo Credit: Reuters Photo)

Ukraine and the United States launched joint naval exercises in the Black Sea in a show of Western cooperation with Kiev as it faces off with Russia.

The drills come just days after the British navy's HMS Defender passed near Russian-annexed Crimea in the Black Sea, with Moscow saying it fired warning shots at the destroyer to ward it off.

Members of the United States Marine Corps attend the opening ceremony for the Sea Breeze multinational maritime exercise in Kherson Region, Ukraine.

The Sea Breeze drills -- which have taken place 21 times since 1997 -- will involve some 5,000 military personnel from more than 30 countries.

The exercises will last two weeks and involve around 30 ships, including the missile destroyer USS Ross.

Russia denounced

The Russian arms control delegation in Vienna on Twitter urged the US to

US marine takes part in a military exercises near Kherson, as Ukraine and the United States stage land military exercises involving more than 30 countries as part of multinational Sea Breeze 2021 drills, in southern Ukraine.

Ukraine and the United States servicemen take part in a military exercises near Kherson.

US marines take part in a military exercises near Kherson.

US marines take part in military exercises near Kherson, as Ukraine and the United States stage land military exercises.

Ukrainian marines take part in a military exercises near Kherson in South Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meets the crew members as he tours US missile destroyer USS Ross, which is involved in the Sea Breeze 2021 military drills, in the Black Sea port of Odessa, Ukraine.