DHAKA: A joint naval exercise of US, Bulgarian and Romanian naval forces in the Black Sea has started.

The Bulgarian navy said on Wednesday, reports The Straits Times.

The USS Truxtun, a US guided-missile destroyer with about 300 crew and part of the US Sixth Fleet headquartered in Italy, joined the manoeuvres with Bulgarian naval frigate Drazki and three Romanian vessels in the Black Sea.

The drills started across the water from the Crimean Peninsula where Russian military groups have seized control from Ukrainian authorities.

‘This time the exercise has begun as planned,’ Lieutenant-Colonel Dimitar Titev told media. The drills were delayed by one day on Tuesday due to bad weather.

BDST: 1540 HRS, MAR 12, 2014