Bucharest, July 22 (RFE/RL) - NATO exercises, involving participants in the "Partnership for Peace" program, are underway in Romania and Hungary.
Naval exercises opened today off the Romanian port of Constanta, involving eight NATO member states (Britain, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the U.S.). The three "Parnership" participants are Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine.
Joint sessions involve training in the evacuation of non-combatants, mine-clearing exercises, and basic military command-and-control concepts.
A NATO "Partnership" air-training exercise is also underway in Hungary.
Meanwhile Russia's Defense Ministry says Russian warships and military observers will not participate in the week-long naval exercise
The Ministry's press-service said Russia cannot be "indifferent" to manoeuvres held close to its shores and its Black sea fleet will "maintain vigilance" throughout the duration of the exercise.
Naval exercises opened today off the Romanian port of Constanta, involving eight NATO member states (Britain, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the U.S.). The three "Parnership" participants are Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine.
Joint sessions involve training in the evacuation of non-combatants, mine-clearing exercises, and basic military command-and-control concepts.
A NATO "Partnership" air-training exercise is also underway in Hungary.
Meanwhile Russia's Defense Ministry says Russian warships and military observers will not participate in the week-long naval exercise
The Ministry's press-service said Russia cannot be "indifferent" to manoeuvres held close to its shores and its Black sea fleet will "maintain vigilance" throughout the duration of the exercise.