NATO is reinforcing its presence in the Black Sea with additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems, drones, explosives teams and intelligence personnel, Al Jazeera reported on October 20, citing alliance spokesman Colonel Martin O’Donnell. He said the priority was sharper situational awareness through more sensors and better data sharing.

The deployment follows a series of deadly drone attacks in the region. NATO, Bulgaria and Romania have not formally blamed any country, although military analysts say Russia almost certainly carried them out; Moscow has not acknowledged responsibility. Romania reported two people killed when their ship caught fire and sank on October 5, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Moscow.

The decision followed a meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Black Sea security at the alliance’s Brussels headquarters. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also warned about six attacks in ten days by suspected Russian drones.

Read the original story at Al Jazeera.