NATO was started reconnaissance flights over Black Sea to monitor the Ukraine’s missile exercises near Crimea. A NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) surveillance plane took off from its air base in Germany on Friday and was en-route to monitor skies above Ukraine and Romania.

A NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) E-3A surveillance aircraft (tail number LX-N90444 and call sign NATO 07) took off from its air base in Germany on Thursday and was en-route to monitor skies above Ukraine and Romania to monitor missile exercises near Crimea.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces carry out a practical phase of control flight tests of midrange anti-aircraft missiles in Kherson region. This event is aimed at gaining combat experience of use of anti-aircraft missile systems, inspecting quality of renewed ammunition, working out practical tasks with combat and simulated launches of anti-aircraft guided missiles.

Russia has put air defence units on alert and deployed warships along the west coast of Crimea after the Ukrainian military fired surface to air missiles over the Black Sea in a show of strength military that has riled the Kremlin.