Ukraine and the United States have begun the active phase of their joint Sea Breeze military exercise in the northwest of the Black Sea, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has said.

"On Tuesday morning the participating ships from Ukraine, the U.S., Romania and Turkey on the outer roadstead of Odesa conducted trawl-escort drills. The Ukrainian Navy's Henichesk trawl acted as the leading ship. Next, the maritime component of the maneuvers conducted anti-boat defense drills. The crew of the Ukrainian Navy's Hetman Sahaidachny frigate has successfully countered an attack by a small-sized target," the ministry said.

The military will also practice tactical maneuvering and conduct search and rescue drills. In addition, the ships' tactical groups will carry out ship-to-ship cargo transfers, interact with naval aviation, in particular, by having the Ukrainian Navy Kamov Ka-27PCh helicopter land on the USS Donald Cook destroyer and on the Ukrainian Navy's Hetman Sahaidachny frigate.

Over the next few days, the maritime component will hold a number of drills, involving in particular, searching for a submarine, air defense, intercepting and inspecting a rogue vessel, firing artillery against sea and aerial targets, assisting and towing a mock ship in distress and so on.

In addition, a deployment of coastal-component units is underway, involving Ukrainian, U.S. and Moldovan forces. Their task is to conduct raids and searches, aerial and amphibious landing operations and to protect critical civilian infrastructure.

The operations by the maritime and coastal components are maintained by planes and helicopters of the Ukrainian Navy, the Ukrainian Air Force, the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service and the U.S. Navy, the ministry said.

The Sea Breeze multinational naval exercise is taking place in Odesa and the Mykolaiv Regions, and in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The exercise is due to end on September 12.