161014-N-OI810-2398 WATERS SURROUNDING THE KOREAN PENINSULA (Oct. 14, 2016) The Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), steams in formation with ships from Carrier Strike Group Five (CSG 5) and the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) during Exercise Invincible Spirit. Invincible Spirit is a bilateral exercise conducted with the ROKN in the waters near the Korean Peninsula, consisting of routine operations in support of maritime counter-special operating forces and integrated maritime operations. Ronald Reagan is on patrol with CSG 5 supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Burke/Released)
Brussels [Belgium]: Thirteen warships from several NATO countries are heading to Stockholm after military drills, the Swedish Aftonbladet newspaper reports.
The warships include nine German vessels and four ships from the Baltics that are on their way to Frihamnen Port following the exercise, the newspaper said on Sunday citing the Swedish military.
According to Aftonbladet, the ships’ movement has nothing to do with the situation in Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday that the member states were stepping up their support to Ukraine.
At the end of last month, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted – the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. (ANI/Sputnik)
