A US Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon is conducting (14:30 CEST) a surveillance mission over the western and central Black Sea today, with a notable focus on the area in front of the Russian Navy base at Novorossiysk.
The aircraft, which took off from NAS Sigonella (Sicily), followed a typical flight path across the western Black Sea, entering the region from Romanian airspace near Constanța. It then proceeded to carry out different orbits over international waters in front of the Russian port city of Novorossiysk.
This location is home to one of the most important naval facilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, second only to Sevastopol. In recent months, Novorossiysk has gained increasing strategic relevance, particularly after Ukrainian attacks have made Sevastopol a more vulnerable hub for Russian naval assets.
The P-8A Poseidon is a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft equipped with advanced sensors and systems capable of monitoring naval movements, submarine activity, and electronic signals. Its presence in the area reflects ongoing NATO and allied interest in tracking Russian military operations in the Black Sea region amid the continued tensions related to the war in Ukraine.
The aircraft operated exclusively over international waters and remained outside any nation’s airspace during its mission.
As of now, there are no official statements regarding the mission, but such flights have become increasingly frequent since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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