The Day of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was celebrated in Sevastopol on Monday, July 27. Despite the ban of the Ukrainian government, Russian sailors fired several gunshots during a parade of ships in the port of Sevastopol, which Russia leases from Ukraine.
The Day of the Russian Fleet has been traditionally celebrated in Sevastopol in a much wider scope than the Day of the Ukrainian Navy. In addition to local residents, numerous tourists, mostly Russian, arrive in the city. The holiday scenario has remained invariable since the Soviet times. It involves a parade of ships in the local bay, a salute of gunshots, and flights of battle aircraft.
However, after several years ago a missile, fired from a Russian ship, injured two people, the Russian sailors were banned to fire gunshots during their parades.
“Today, in the process of celebration, I warned the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Black Sea Fleet about non-fulfillment of the order of the Ukrainian government”, Sevastopol City State Administration head Serhiy Kunitsyn said to journalists. In his turn, the BSF Commander Alexandre Kletskov said that as if Ukraine did not impose any restrictions on shooting.
