Ukrainian Troops Pulled Out of Crimea; UK, US military to stage NATO Exercises in Ukraine
The sabre ratting from all sides of the Ukrainian/Crimean crisis continues, while tensions mount.
Various takes on the recent happenings from different perspectives; America’s Associated Press, UK’s MailOnline, and Russia’s RT:
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Ukraine Surrenders to Russia, Plans to Pull Troops Out of Crimea
From: Associated Press
Surrendering to Russia’s inexorable seizure of Crimea, Ukraine announced plans Wednesday for mass troop withdrawals from the strategic peninsula as Moscow-loyal forces seized control of Kyev’s naval headquarters here and detained its commander.
Attempting to face down the unblinking incursion, Ukraine said it would hold joint military exercises with the United States and Britain.
Hours after masked Russian-speaking troops forced their way onto Ukraine’s main naval base here, forlorn Ukrainian soldiers streamed out carrying clothing and other belongings in bags. A group of local militia and Cossacks, later joined by officers from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, looked on.
Just how many retreating troops Ukraine will have to absorb was unclear as many servicemen in Crimea have already switched sides to Russia, but authorities say it was prepared to relocate as many as 25,000 soldiers and their families.
Humbled but defiant, Ukraine lashed out symbolically at Russia by declaring its intent to leave the Moscow-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States, a loose alliance of 11 former Soviet nations. The last nation to leave the group was Georgia, which lost a brief war with neighboring Russia in 2008 and ended up losing two separatist territories.
Vice President Joe Biden, in Lithuania trying to reassure nations bordering Russia alarmed by the sight of an expansion-minded neighbor, said the U.S. would stand by them.
“We’re in this with you, together,” Biden said.
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Read the full article at: theepochtimes.com
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Russia now plans to ’unleash full blown military intervention’ across Ukraine warns ambassado
By Suzannah Hills | Mail Online
Ukraine has started to withdraw its 25,000 troops and their families from Crimea to the mainland amid fears Russia plans further military incursions into their territory.
It comes as Russian troops seized majority control of the Black Sea peninsula after forces stormed Ukraine’s naval headquarters in Sevastopol yesterday before taking over another naval facility 30kms away in Bakhchisaray.
Extraordinary scenes followed as downcast Ukrainian servicemen, unarmed and in civilian clothing, began abandoning the bases, some with ’nowhere to go’ while others were rported to have already defected to Russian forces.
It is estimated there are still thousands of Ukrainian troops who remain trapped in Crimea as Russian troops close in around them.
Warrant Officer Kokurin Serhiy, 37, became the first fatal casualty of the Crimea crisis when he was shot dead on Tuesday.The chief of logistics, who was born in Simferopol, was at his post in a watchtower at a military base in Simferopol, Crimea, when he was shot through the heart and in the head.
The Ukraine Ministry of Defence claimed he was fired upon by a militiamen who were wearing military uniform of Russian servicemen but without any insignia.
His death prompted the Ukraine Ministry Of Defence to allow troops the use of arms to defend themselves.
Officer Kukurin’s fellow soldiers today paid tribute to the ’realiable friend’ who leaves behind a four-year-old son and seven-month pregnant wife.
A statement read: ’He was modest and handsome, a hard-working and skillful specialist, and reliable friend.
’Kokurin Serhiy was many times awarded distinctions by the Minister of Defense, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of Ukraine.
’He was a strong support for his mother, good brother, kind husband, attentive father for his son. His wife is waiting for birth of baby in two months.
’The personnel of the 13th Photogrammetric Center of Central Directorate of Operations Support of Armed Forces mourns for decease of their friend Serhiy Kokurin.’
’We are working out a plan of action so that we can transfer not just servicemen, but first of all, members of their family who are in Crimea, quickly and effectively to mainland Ukraine,’ said Andriy Parubiy, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council.
Terms and conditions of the withdrawal have yet to be agreed but Ukrainian border guards in Crimea, under the control of Russia’s military, have started redeploying to regions on the mainland.
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Read the full article at: dailymail.co.uk
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US, UK military to stage NATO exercises in Ukraine
From: RT
Ukraine will play host, but the US military will call the shots, in an upcoming military exercise called Rapid Trident that will bring together some 1,300 international forces in Ukraine for a long-planned exercise.
Although the United States canceled Atlas Vision 2014, which was scheduled to take place in July in the northeastern Russian city of Chelyabinsk, the Pentagon says it will go ahead with plans for a multinational military exercise this summer in Ukraine.
Rapid Trident 2014 is designed to "promote regional stability and security, strengthen partnership capacity and foster trust while improving interoperability between the land forces of Ukraine, and NATO and partner nations," according to the US forces in Europe website.
The Pentagon refused to provide information on the number of US forces expected to participate in the maneuvers.
US Army spokesman Col. Steven Warren said Rapid Trident is the only Ukraine military exercise the United States plans to participate in this year. The exercise is intended to help the Ukrainian military improve its troops and weapons operability with NATO forces.
Last year’s Rapid Trident, which focused on "airborne and air-mobile infantry operations," according to a report on the Rapid Trident website, brought together 17 NATO countries for joint exercises.
According to Rapid Trident’s Facebook page, last year’s exercises involved “more than 800 pieces of weaponry and about 170 military and combat vehicles... In addition, 4 Mi -8 helicopters, a military transport aircraft An- 26 of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a German transport aircraft C- 160 were involved to work out airborne operations and elements of evacuation of the wounded from the field of battle.”
However, given the level of hysteria that has been generated by the Ukrainian crisis, Rapid Trident 2014 will take place under entirely different circumstances than last year’s event.
The Pentagon has already dispatched 12 warplanes and hundreds of troops to Poland following the Crimean referendum on Sunday that witnessed an overwhelming majority of residents voting in favor of joining Russia.
Last week, the US military announced that the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and its group would remain in the Mediterranean Sea for a few more days than planned “to reassure US allies” over the Ukraine crisis.
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Read the full article at: rt.com
READ: Obama orders new round of sanctions on Russia
