^While:
UK warship docks in Odesa as British MPs visit Sea of Azov
Published Dec. 20 at 6:36 pm


A British Royal Marine mans the stern-mounted machine gun aboard HMS Echo, a survey ship from the British Royal Navy, as it's docked in the port city of Odesa. The ship arrived in the Ukrainian Black Sea on Dec. 19 as part of a U.K. strategic mission to support Ukrainian freedom of navigation. A day later, British lawmakers began a 3-day visit to the troubled Sea of Azov.

HMS Echo, a multi-role, oceanographic survey ship from the British Royal Navy docked in Ukraine’s southeastern coastal city of Odesa on Dec. 19, one day before a group of key British lawmakers also arrived in Ukraine for an official visit to the troubled Sea of Azov.

The British warship was due to deploy to the Black Sea in early 2019, under an agreement with Ukraine, as part of U.K. strategic plans for a freedom of navigation maneuver in support of the country. The ship can remain in the Black Sea for up to 21 days, according to international law.

https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-pol...a-of-azov.html