Just a day after NATO began military exercises (with troops from the US) near the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine, WSJ reports [4] Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is responding to the "rising foreign military presence," near Russia. In a not-so-de-escalatory move, Shoigu explained that NATO's comments were "light-minded" and his ministry's key task now is to "deploy a full-scale and self-sufficient force grouping" in the Crimea region.
First this...
Russian Defense Ministry official calls light-minded NATO general's statements about Russian military presence in Ukraine
Then, as The Wall Street Journal reports [4],
Russia will set up a full-scale military unit on the annexed peninsula of Crimea in response to "rising foreign military presence" next to Russia, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday, Interfax news agency reported.
One of his ministry's key tasks now is to "deploy a full-scale and self-sufficient force grouping" in the Crimea region, Mr. Shoigu said.
The statement comes a day after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization began military exercises with troops from the U.S. and other NATO members near the city of Lviv in western Ukraine. The exercises had been slated to take place earlier but were delayed to Sept. 15-26 because of the turmoil in eastern Ukraine. The U.S. and NATO accuse Russia of deploying tens of thousands of troops along its border with Ukraine.
As far as the ceasefire.. it's still on...
- "More than 10" civilians die in shelling of east Ukraine town - military
- OSCE DOESN'T REGARD EXCHANGES OF FIRE BETWEEN MILITIA AND UKRAINIAN SERVICEMEN AS END TO CEASEFIRE - RUSSIAN REPRESENTATIVE KELIN
- LAVROV: CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE REMAINS, THOUGH CERTAIN INCIDENTS TAKE PLACE BUT THEY SHOULD FADE AWAY
Hhmm - seems they have a different definition of truce... though Ukraine needs to keep stocking up its arms deliveries.
