01.10.2008
Source:
A Russian warship from the Black Sea Fleet has entered the Aegean Sea and is heading toward the Italian coast to participate in joint naval exercises with the Italian navy, a fleet spokesman said on Tuesday.
"The
Ladny, a
Krivak class guided missile frigate, will participate in the biennial IONIEX-2008 exercises with the Italian navy," the spokesman said.
Ladny participated in August in NATO's antiterrorist Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean.
In 2007, Russian naval ships took part in nine joint exercises with foreign navies, including Blackseafor - with the participation of Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia - and Open Spirit 2007, involving Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belgium, France, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia.
However, NATO suspended or cancelled a number of joint exercises this year following a brief military conflict between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia in August.
