Two Turkish frigates in Ukraine’s Odessa

ODESSA – Anadolu Agency

AA photo

Two Turkish warships have dropped anchor at the port in the Ukrainian city Odessa on April 3 for a stay of two days.The two frigates - the TCG Salih Reis (F-246), which is a Barbaros-class frigate, and the TCG Bartın (F-504), which is a B-class corvette - have anchored in Odessa within the concept of partnership between the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the Turkish General Staff.In a statement issued by the Ukrainian Sea Ports Administration’s Odessa branch, the warships were welcomed at the port by officials from the Ukrainian West Sea Admiralty and Turkish Consul General to Odessa Cemil Ufuk Toğrul.The two Turkish frigates will be open to visitors during their time at the port.The statement said the frigates had come to Odessa under the military cooperation agreement established between the two countries and military officials would conduct meetings while in Odessa.The TGC Salih Reis had accompanied a joint mission formed by the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to destroy Syrian chemical weapons in the Mediterranean Sea in June 2014.