UK Praises Pilots for Stopping 'Russian Threat' in Black Sea

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania (AP) — Britain’s defense minister has praised Romanian and British pilots for protecting the Black Sea region from “the threat of Russian aggression.”

Minister Michael Fallon spoke Wednesday at the Mihail Koglaniceanu air base in eastern Romania, where he met pilots and technicians servicing RAF Typhoon fighter jets that are beefing up NATO security around the Black Sea.

Fallon praised the pilots’ “dazzling skills,” thanking those “working tirelessly to protect the Black Sea skies against the persistent threat of Russian aggression.”

He earlier visited the shooting range at Cincu, in central Romania, where 1,000 British troops are taking part in the “Noble Jump 2017” exercises.

Some 2,000 soldiers, 1,000 assistance personnel and 500 vehicles from 11 NATO nations are part of the drill, which aims to rest the readiness of alliance troops.