The Russian side fully controls the situation related to the American exercises in the Black Sea, and is ready to respond to any provocation, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

The diplomat also added that Moscow calls on Washington and NATO to adequately assess the possible risks of their military activity in the Black Sea region.

“They periodically hold their so-called training events.

In fact, they carry out provocative actions.

We have repeatedly called on our colleagues in the United States and NATO to soberly assess the risks associated with this, but nevertheless, they continue to stubbornly bend the line, testing our will and determination to defend their own interests, thereby encouraging the worst that is observed in Kiev's politics, "TASS quotes him ...

Ryabkov also said that Russia is alarmed by the provocations of the United States and its allies, which increase the risk of clashes in the Black Sea.

“This is a never-ending series of provocations carried out by the United States, its NATO allies and some of these countries' clients in the region.

This is a game with fire, this is another attempt to test our strength, ”said the Deputy Foreign Minister.

“Our defense is reliable.

We see through these designs.

We are ready to repulse them, but, unfortunately, we have to admit that colleagues from the other side neglect the obvious things, the logic that the risks of collisions are increasing, ”Ryabkov said.

He also recalled that the RF Armed Forces conduct their training activities on their own territory.

“And what are American ships doing in the Black Sea thousands of miles from their bases?

No explanation that all this is for the sake of freedom of navigation does not work, ”Ryabkov stressed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also described the current activity of the United States and NATO countries in the Black Sea as provocative.

In particular, he mentioned this in a telephone conversation with the Acting Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel, the Kremlin press service said on November 11.

“The destabilizing and dangerous nature of the provocative activities of the armed forces of the United States and a number of other NATO countries in the Black Sea was also noted,” the message says.

  • Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Ryabkov

  • globallookpress.com

  • © MFA of Russia

In turn, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also announced an increase in the military activity of the United States and its allies near the borders of Russia in the Black Sea region.

The ministry noted that the intensity of the actions of the naval forces, air reconnaissance and strategic aviation has increased most of all.

"The conduct of this unscheduled exercise near our borders is absolutely unprovoked by Russia, the aggressive actions of the United States, posing a threat to regional security and strategic stability," the Defense Ministry said.

The department added that the actions of the US Navy ships in the region are controlled by the missile cruiser Moskva and the frigate Admiral Essen.

Pentagon position

On Wednesday, November 10, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby announced that the US military will continue its operations in the Black Sea.

“We will continue to fly, sail and operate in international airspace and international waters as needed.

There are currently several US Navy ships in the Black Sea.

We believe this is an important principle that needs to be upheld, ”Kirby said.

According to him, the Pentagon is observing "unusual military activity that is taking place inside Russia, but close to the borders with Ukraine," and remains concerned about this fact.

“Russia's intentions are not entirely clear.

Of course, we would like to understand them better.

And we do not want any actions to further destabilize this part of the world, where the situation is already very tense.

We urge Russia to clearly state its intentions and abide by the Minsk agreements, ”Kirby said.

At the same time, he refused to link the strengthening of the Russian Armed Forces in the region with the increase in the military presence of the United States and NATO in the Black Sea.

Let us remind you that American warships have been arriving in the Black Sea waters since the end of last month.

So, on October 30, the USS Porter, armed with cruise missiles, entered the water area.

The National Defense Control Center of Russia then reported that the forces and means of Chernomorsky were monitoring his actions.

Then the flagship of the US 6th Fleet USS Mount Whitney entered the Black Sea.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, commenting on the presence of American military courts, noted that this negatively affects stability in the region.

Vladimir Putin also reacted to the situation, mentioning the American ship at a meeting on defense topics in Sochi on November 1.

“You know, a US ship entered the Black Sea.

We can look at it through binoculars or through the sight of the corresponding defense systems, ”the Russian leader said at the time.

Military development

Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said that the United States is forming a multinational group of armed forces in the immediate vicinity of the borders of Russia.

"Such actions are a destabilizing factor in the Black Sea region, one of the goals of which is the military development of the territory of Ukraine," the Defense Ministry believes.

  • US ships in the Black Sea

  • Reuters

  • © US Navy / Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Justin Stumberg

The department also said that on November 6, "in order to improve the methods of using strategic bomber aviation," the US Air Force flew two US Air Force B-1B strategic bombers over the Black Sea.

“Taking into account the fact that, in addition to the American Navy, it is planned to use tactical, patrol and strategic aviation, as well as contingents of the armed forces of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine, there is a study of the alleged theater of military operations in the event that Kiev prepares a military solution in the south- east, ”the ministry said in a statement.

As for the latest statements by the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Ryabkov about the control of the Russian side over the situation in the Black Sea, experts believe that his words are completely true.

“Russia is a Black Sea state, therefore, in addition to the Black Sea Fleet, it has powerful aviation forces, the Strategic Missile Forces, which completely control the water area.

In fact, under the gun of the Russian Armed Forces are any ships that appear in this region, "said Vladimir Batyuk, head of the Center for Military-Political Studies of the Institute of the USA and Canada, RAS, in a conversation with RT.

He regards the actions of the United States as a demonstration of the policy of containment towards the Russian Federation, which has been practiced since the end of the Cold War with the USSR.

“This course will be continued, since, in accordance with the American military-political strategy, Russia, along with China, is the main adversary of the United States in the international arena.

However, in this situation, there are certain lines that the parties will not cross.

Considering that the United States, like Russia, is a nuclear superpower, the White House is forced to be guided by this even when conducting a containment policy, ”the analyst emphasized.

For his part, Konstantin Blokhin, a leading researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in a conversation with RT, noted that, despite the accumulation of NATO forces, Russia occupies a dominant position in the Black Sea.

“The Black Sea is Russia's sphere of influence, therefore its position is dominant here.

Today Moscow is in full control of the situation in the region and if the red lines are violated, the Russian Federation is ready to use the entire arsenal of its means, "Blokhin stated.

In his opinion, the United States "checks" the borders of the Russian Federation along their entire perimeter and it is possible that they will also try to cross the airspace in order to exert pressure and thereby change the trajectory of Russian foreign policy.

“This is an essential deterrent that the US used during the Cold War.

I expect that after Russia takes tough measures, such provocations will end.

In addition, in this way, Washington demonstrates that international law is of no value to it.

On the whole, this can be seen as a direct challenge to Russia, which needs to be responded to, ”Blokhin concluded.