Russian-Ukrainian naval exercise Fairway of Peace 2011 was discussed in Sevastopol

Planning conference on the Russian-Ukrainian joint exercise Fairway of Peace 2011 was held on Feb 17 at Black Sea Fleet (BSF) training center in accordance with the plan of international cooperation between Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries. 

Working groups of Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) and Ukrainian Navy participated in the conference. They were headed respectively by Director of BSF Training Dept Capt 1 rank Alexander Chesnokov and acting Ukrainian Navy Deputy Commander for combat training Capt 1 rank Denis Berezovsky. 

In accordance with agreements reached during the previous meeting (Jan 29), the parties provisionally agreed upon terms of the exercise – second half of May 2011. During the discussion participants approved concept and process of the exercise; fully covered training goals, structure of headquarters, and quantity of ships; analyzed reconnaissance of planned site for landing operation near BSF coastal range in Kazachya Bay; coordinated actions of landing ships, marine units, aircrews of aircrafts and helicopters in the course of the exercise. 

The parties agreed to conduct the final conference in mid-Apr 2011. By this time they will have to finish the plan and complete the package of documents regarding this bilateral exercise. Scenario of the current exercise is international peacekeeping operation in crisis region. 

Joint Russian-Ukrainian naval exercise Fairway of Peace was firstly conducted in 1997, then under mutual agreement it was held biannually (1999, 2001, and 2003). After a long break, the exercise was resumed in 2010 as an interactive headquarters exercise. Then Russian and Ukrainian defense ministers decided to conduct the Fairway of Peace exercise every year with participation of active warships of Russia's Black Sea Fleet and Ukrainian Navy.