Third NATO Ship Enters Black Sea, Russia Vows Increased Military Air Presence

A French frigate entered the Black Sea on Wednesday, growing the number of NATO surface warships in the region to three,according to a ship spotting blog and Russian press reports.

Surcouf (F711) La Fayette-class frigate was spotted by amateur photographers crossing the Bosporus strait on Wednesday joining French signals intelligence ship Dupuy de Lôme (A759) and U.S. guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) — both which entered the region earlier this month.

In reaction to the increased NATO naval presence in the region, Russian officials said they would begin to fly more air patrols over the Black Sea.

“During the flights, combat training is carried out to provide surface image coverage in the neutral waters of the Black Sea,” state run RIA Novosti quoted a military source on Wednesday.

“We talk of an unmotivated presence in the Black Sea of NATO ships of non-Black Sea states – the United States and France.”
The flights will be flown primarily by 1970s era Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer tactical fighters, according to the RIA Novosti report.

A Fencer buzzed the guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) in April in what the Pentagon called a “provocative and unprofessional Russian action.”

U.S. and NATO ships have had a rotational presence in the Black Sea since the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Ships have remained in the region as part of an ongoing presence and reassurance mission for Western allies.

Donald Cook left in mid-April and frigate USS Taylor (FFG-50) left in mid-May to join NATO ships in the Eastern Mediterranean.

All warships from countries without a coast on the Black Sea operate under the so-called 1936 Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits.

Montreux rules call for foreign warships to depart after 21 days.

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Russia Claims French Intelligence Ship Has Returned to Black Sea

A French signals intelligence ship has reentered the Black Sea, according to several local media reports.

The 3,600-ton Dupuy de Lôme (A759) was spotted in the region, according to a report in the French language Le Courrier de Russie quoting Russian military officials.

Other Russian outlets — including independent news agency Interfax and state-run media — report Dupuy de Lôme is off the coast of the Bulgaria.

“The French intelligence ship is now stationed in the western Black Sea, 30 miles away from the port of Varna,” according to a military source quoted by the state-run report by RIA Novosti.

State media accused the ship of monitoring regional phone and data traffic.Dupuy de Lôme was previously in the region along with the two American ships — USS Taylor (FFG-50) and USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) — as part of a show of support to regional allies following the annexation of Crimea by Russia from Ukraine. Dupuy de Lôme was previously in the region from April 10th to 30th.

The ship has to operate under the so-called 1936 Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits.

Montreux rules call for warships from countries with out a coast on the Black Sea to depart after 21 days.

Taylor recently left the Black Sea to join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) as part of the continuing reassurance mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.

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