A warship firing during a naval drill at Black Sea Some 1,600 Romanian sailors have started five days of war games in the Black Sea amid heightened tensions in neighboring Ukraine. Romania’s Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday that the war games code-named “Vector 2014”, will run through Friday in the Black Sea. It said the drills are part of long-planned and regular naval exercises. The... 

US frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50) has entered the Black Sea, according to the US Navy, as the Pentagon announces plans to dispatch some 600 troops to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia for military exercises. The US claims the ship’s entry is “to promote peace and stability in the region.” “The US Navy routinely operates ships in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and International...