U.S.-Guided Missile Destroyer En Route to Black Sea

On March 6, a United States-guided missile destroyer embarked on a journey to the Black Sea in what U.S. Naval officials described as a “routine” deployment.

According to AFP, the destroyer will “carry out joint training with Romanian and Bulgarian forces.”

Officials said it was “planned before the crisis unfolded in Ukraine.” However, “the presence of a U.S. Navy Destroyer in the Black Sea” is expected to send “a symbolic message to Russia.”

The destroyer began its journey the “day after the Pentagon sought to reassure anxious allies in Central and Eastern Europe over Russia’s actions in Ukraine.”

Right now, “the only U.S. Naval Ship deployed in the Black Sea is the USS Taylor.” And Military.com reports Taylor’s commander, Dennis Volpe, was recently relieved of command after inquiry into a grounding incident resulted in a “loss of confidence” in his ability to run the vessel.

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