FEODOSIA, Ukraine - About 200 US reservists whose arrival in Crimea in southern Ukraine to prepare military manoeuvres aimed at strengthening ties between Kiev and NATO provoked anti-NATO protests will leave by Monday, Ukraine’s navy told AFP. “Half of them are in the process of taking buses to Simferopol from where they will take a plane and return to their country,” navy spokesman Volodymyr Bova said. “The other half will follow tomorrow.”
He said that the decision had been taken because the ”reservists’ contracts had expired” and that it did not mean the cancellation of the upcoming military manoeuvres in Crimea. “The holding of the exercises Sea Breeze 2006 will be decided by parliament,” which will consider the matter on June 14, Bova said.
| You don't want us there, fine, we don't need to be there. Just remember, as an old, celebrated political advertisement once noted, "there are bears in the woods." |
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