US General Philip Breedlove, the commander of American forces in Europe, said in Kiev that cruise and surface-to-air missiles installed on the peninsula, which Russia seized from Ukraine in March, would be "able to exert influence" over the strategic region.
He said that the US-led alliance was "watching for indications" amid fears that Russia could move any of its nuclear arsenal to Crimea.
"We are very concerned with the militarization of Crimea."
"The capabilities that are being installed in Crimea will bring an effect on almost the entire Black Sea," he added.
Breedlove was in Kiev for high-level talks with Ukraine's leaders over the crisis that has sent the West's relations with Moscow to their lowest ebb since the Cold War.
Russia's defense ministry said Wednesday that it had deployed a batch of 14 military jets to Crimea, as part of a squadron of 30 that will be stationed on the peninsula.
Moscow is strongly opposed to the expansion of Western institutions in what it considers its backyard.
On Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Ukraine's efforts to join NATO would "lead only to further complication of the situation."
"This will not increase security for Ukraine," he said.
Ukraine has stirred fresh Russian ire by stating it hopes to join the Western security bloc in the face of Russia's alleged backing for a separatist conflict that has cost over 4,300 lives since April.
- The Ukrainian public has never been keen on NATO membership in the past. But there has been a dramatic shift in opinion since Russia annexed Crimea in March, with 51 percent backing NATO membership in a recent poll.
Ahead of Wednesday's talks, the Ukrainian military said that its positions had come under bombardment 47 times around the region over the past 24 hours.
Source: AFP - globaltimes.cn
26- 27/11/14
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Estonia considera la presencia de tropas de EEUU como garantía de seguridad en la región ...
ReplyDeleteLa presencia de las tropas de EEUU en los países del mar Báltico es una garantía de la seguridad en la región, comentó hoy la ministra estonia de Exteriores, Keit Pentus-Rosimannus.
La ministra se había reunido en Bruselas con el secretario estadounidense de Estado, John Kerry.
"Estados Unidos es para Estonia el aliado más importante en cuanto a la seguridad en la zona del Báltico", dijo Pentus-Rosimannus citada por la oficina de prensa de la cancillería estonia.
Comentó que Estonia continuará su cooperación con EEUU en la creación de un centro de entrenamiento para la Fuerza Aérea estadounidense situado en Amari.
"El centro brindará nuevas posibilidades para la instrucción del personal", apuntó........................http://sp.ria.ru/international/20141202/163412753.html
2/12/14
Il numero delle truppe della NATO nei paesi Baltici (Lettonia, Lituania ed Estonia) aumenterà nel 2015, lo ha detto il Ministro degli Esteri lettone Edgars Rinkēvičs...
ReplyDelete"Per ora non farò il nome dei Paesi specifici, i cui militari potrebbero essere distribuiti in Lettonia. Ad esempio, già quest'anno in Lettonia, insieme con i militari degli Stati Uniti è stato schierato il contingente norvegese" ha detto Rinkēvičs. Egli ha osservato che nel corso della riunione ministeriale dei Paesi della NATO e l'Ucraina è stata discussa la creazione in Lettonia di forze speciali di risposta.
Per saperne di più: http://italian.ruvr.ru/news/2014_12_03/Nel-2015-aumentera-il-contingente-della-NATO-nei-Paesi-baltici-7177/
3/12/14