US Black Sea naval drills start near Crimea

Updated: 2014-03-14 09:39

(Agencies)

The USS Truxtun, a US guided-missile destroyer, enters the Black Sea port of Varna, March 13, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

A joint exercise involving US, Bulgarian and Romanian naval forces in the Black Sea started on Wednesday just across the water from the Crimean Peninsula.

The United States says the naval exercises were planned before the crisis in Ukraine. The USS Truxtun, part of the US Sixth Fleet headquartered in Italy, joined the manoeuvres with the Bulgarian naval frigate Drazki and three Romanian vessels in the Black Sea.