The Russian Black Sea Fleet confirmed today, Sunday, that its frigate Admiral Essen conducted maneuvers to protect Russian ships in the Crimea from being subjected to a notional enemy missile strike.

In a statement, the fleet said that its exercises took into account the cruise missiles-armed USS destroyer Porter and the flagship USS Mount Whitney which are present at the entrance to the Black Sea.

According to the scenario of the exercise, the Black Sea Fleet’s command and control center received data on the take-off of a group of enemy planes towards the Crimean Peninsula.

For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the entry of the US Navy's command ship into the Black Sea, saying that "even now, a US warship has entered the Black Sea, and we can see it in binoculars or crosshairs of our defense systems."

Shoigu: US & allies are testing the immunity of the Black Sea coast

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed that "ships belonging to NATO and other countries from the region enter the Black Sea with long-range precision weapons," noting that "the US and its allied countries are trying in this way to test the immunity of the Black Sea coast and the borders of southern Russia."

Shoigu told Russia1 channel on Sunday that "of course, we monitor and follow these ships and are aware that any possible provocations may occur at any time and at any moment, as happened not long ago with the British ship, and of course we should not allow such things."

He further described the US ships’ entry as an attempt to test Russian vigilance and the readiness of the system they have built along the Black Sea coast, i.e. the south of Russia in general.

The US Navy's Sixth Fleet published pictures of its ships in the Black Sea, showing the main ship Mount Whitney, the destroyer Porter and the Turkish frigate TCG Yavuz (F 240).

Sailing alongside @NATO allies to ensure security and stability in the #BlackSea is a great way to spend a Saturday! It's been a pleasure sailing with you, 🇹🇷!#USSMountWhitney and #USSPorter sail in formation with Turkish Frigate TCG Yavuz (F 240). pic.twitter.com/ExQshykQSx

— U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet (@USNavyEurope) November 6, 2021

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that "the forces and facilities of the Black Sea Fleet have begun to control the actions of the US Navy's flagship Mount Whitney, which entered the Black Sea on November 4, 2021.”

Earlier in October, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the Pacific Fleet’s large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Tributs thwarted US destroyer, Chaffee, from its attempt to violate Russian territorial waters in the Sea of ​​Japan.