MOSCOW: The Russian National Defense Center has announced that the Russian patrol vessel Smetlivy, of the Black Sea Fleet, performs surveillance of the US guided-missile destroyer USS Porter after it entered the southern waters of the sea, Radio Habana Cuba publishes.

The destroyer was sent to the area on Thursday, the Sixth Fleet of the US Navy reported, stating that the objective of its mission is to "improve regional maritime stability" and show support to Washington's allies and partners in the region.

Vice Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti, commander of the Sixth Fleet, said in this regard that the naval operations that the US carried out in the Black Sea with its allies "keep the solid relations necessary for regional stability".

This is the sixth time that an American ship enters the Black Sea so far this year. The last ship that visited the area was the USS Carney, which participated in July in the naval exercises of NATO Sea Breeze 2019. On that occasion, the Russian naval forces also guarded the American destroyer.

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