FILE PHOTO: The clock on Spasskaya tower showing the time at noon, is pictured next to Moscow’s Kremlin, and St. Basil’s Cathedral as they stand on an empty square, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Moscow, Russia, March 31, 2020.
The United States and other NATO member countries continue their provocative activities in the Black Sea Region, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Thursday.
“The US and other NATO member states, which seek increasing its presence at Russia’s borders, continue provocative activities in the east and in the Black Sea waters,” Zakharova said at a briefing.
Earlier, the United States strategic drone Global Hawk carried out a reconnaissance mission near the borders of Crimea ahead of the Russian military drills on the peninsula.
The US unmanned aerial vehicle flew over the Black Sea near Crimea at the height of about 16 kilometers (9.9 miles).
Earlier on Thursday, the Russian defence ministry announced that Crimean test site “Opuk” will host the main stage of military exercises of the South Military District and Airborne units as part of the combat preparedness training for the winter period.
On 14 April, the Russian Defense Ministry’s department of navigation and oceanography released a bulletin stating that from 24 April to 31 October, there will be no passage through the territorial sea of Russia for foreign warships and other state vessels in three water areas of the Black Sea. The bulletin noted that the zones planned for closure will not prevent the navigation through the Kerch Strait and are located within the Russian territorial waters.
