ODESA, NOVEMBER 15th, 2012, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― The initial conference on the planning of the Ukrainian-US Sea Breeze 2013 exercises has started in Odesa, context-prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The media service of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine reported yesterday, 14 November.

According to media service, the initial conference of the Ukrainian-American exercises Sea Breeze 2013 in the spirit of “Partnership for Peace” started in Odesa. The event was attended by the delegations from the organizers of the training ― Ukraine and the United States, and more than 10 countries, which are now agreed to participate in the training.

According to a co-director of the exercises from the Ukrainian side, Captain 1st Rank Ihor Teriokhin, the participants in the conference will develop a common strategy, determine the composition of forces and means and specify the places and areas of future manoeuvres.

“Next year Sea Breeze exercises envisage the holding of an operation to ensure safety at sea with an emphasis on the control of marine environment and the conduct of non-combatant evacuation operations. Similar problems are relevant and interesting to our troops,” Teriokhin said.

The first time in several years the subdivisions of the Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry had been invited to participate in Sea Breeze exercises for training on joint actions to eliminate the aftermath of natural or man-made disasters, conduct humanitarian projects and ensure the safety of the local population.

INFORMATION: The Ukrainian-American military exercise Sea Breeze series has been held since 1997. Started with the purpose of achieving inter-compatibility of Ukrainian and US fleets as well as fleets of other countries which have joined the NATO Partnership for the Sake of the World Programme. The basic purpose is to increase alertness of the Navies of Military Forces of Ukraine.