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NATO warships have entered the Black Sea. Among them again USS Donald Cook
Author:Mariusz Dasiewicz
19 February USS missile destroyer Donald Cook (type Arleigh Burke) along with NATO-wst Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) entered the Black Sea basin. This is the second since the beginning of the year to visit this U.S. unit in the area and points to great interest in this water by the United States, especially since the crisis involving the Ukrainian Navy of November 2018.
– Every visit to this place gives us a unique opportunity to cooperate with our regional maritime partners," said USS commander Donald Cook Commander Matthew J. Powel. "Both the crew and I are waiting for the experience of the rich history and culture of the region," added Powel.
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According to U.S. intelligence, the unit is heading for the port of Odessa where it will have a temporary stop. On the same day as the U.S. Navy, German and Turkish vessels entered the Black Sea – the FGS Werra supply ship and the TCG Akçakoca mine destroyer, part of SNMCMG2. Both ships spent some time in Istanbul before returning to their assignments. After reaching the Black Sea, they were joined by Bulgarian mine-seeker BGS Tsibar, and soon the Romanian mine destroyer ROS Lt. Lupu Pinescu will also do so.
Units from SNMCMG2 will visit Varna in Bulgaria on 22-25 February and then leave for Constance, Romania. From this port, ships will begin early March exercises with the ability to fight sea mines called Poseidon 2019.
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We wrote about the first destroyer this year on our website Donald Cook Here.. At that time, his presence was treated as an element of U.S. involvement in the region and this time is similar. In addition to this unit, in early January a Whidbey Island USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) landing ship also arrived in the Black Sea, about which We've been informed here.
Although so far no comment from the Russian side, it may be assumed that, as with the previous visit of the American destroyer to the Black Sea, it will also be closely observed.
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