NATO FREE ZONE

The municipal Council of Pheodosia (Eastern Crimea) proclaimed the territory of this ancient city “NATO free zone”. The decision was taken in a protest against the call by the US transport ship "Advantage" last Saturday to drop off military supplies. The cargo was unloaded and is still on the docks because local residents massed at the gates to the port and blocked entry and exit of transport vehicles. The residents of Pheodosia and many militants of pro-Russian organizations in the Crimea are protesting against the upcoming NATO military maneuvers near the city of Stary Krym. They vow to blockade the port indefinitely and to disrupt the NATO military exercise. Opposition politicians point out that the delivery of military supplies and the arrival of 120 American military personnel are illegal. The Ukrainian Parliament had not authorized the maneuvers and refused to allow foreign troops on the Ukrainian territory. The USS “Advantage” entered the Ukrainian territorial waters only on permit issued by interim prime-minister of the Ukraine Yuri Yekhanurov. This arrangement violates the existing procedures. According to sources in the port administration, the cargo ship brought 1.5 ton of supplies: satellite surveillance system, several machine guns, more than 150 rifles, tank tow cars, armored troop-carriers, trench diggers, more than 50 prefab houses, tents, a lot of food and other supplies.
All this equipment and the circumstances of its delivery aroused suspicions that NATO is planning to build a military base on the training ground near Stary Krym where the "Sea Breeze" exercise is due to take place from June 17 to August 2. Rumors spread that the location of the base was selected near Stary Krym because of high concentration of the Tatar population in the area. Some Crimeans suspect that the Tatars will be employed as guards of the planned base. The authorities dismissed these assertions. They say that the USS “Advantage” delivered “construction materials” to be used for building two barracks at a military site near Stary Krym in preparation for exercises in June.
Ordinary people in the Crimea where anti-NATO sentiment is very strong does not believe the Ukrainian officials. Thousands of protesters gathered Tuesday at the gates to the port in Pheodosia to hold an anti-US and anti-NATO rally. The participants were holding up posters and banners condemning the US and demanding reunion with Russia. Ukrainian media downplays the extent of the protests and rising tensions in the Crimea. Western media almost blacked out news stories on the events in Pheodosia carried by press agencies. It is embarrassing both for the UKkraine and its outside sponsors that the population does not approve the pro-NATO stance of the ruling orange team in Kiev.
The Council of the Lenin Region of the Crimea also proclaimed its territory “anti-NATO zone”. It is expected that the Kirov region where the NATO "Sea Breeze" exercise will take place will follow suit. The opposition says it will raise the events in Pheodosia at the uncoming parliamentary session opening June 7.