Kommersant,
Russia
'Local Patriots' Drive American Marines from Crimea
June 12, 2006
Russia - Kommersant - Original
Article (English) 
Due to mass rallies held by local patriots, the
U.S. Marines are leaving Crimea without taking part in any tactical maneuvers. Actually,
there was no preparation for Sea Breeze 2006 [joint exercises between Ukraine
and NATO]. The Marines spent their time confined within a military base, a site
which had been hastily decided upon for the purpose by Ukraine's Defense
Ministry.
[Editor's Note: The unarmed Marine
reservists arrived last week to install showers and toilets at a Ukrainian
military training facility in Feodosiya, Crimea, before
joint exercises with NATO later this month].
On Sunday, the first U.S. Marines, 125 in
strength, stepped into the busses headed for Simferopol,
where a military plane was waiting to transfer them to Germany. The second
group is expected to leave Crimea today.
The U.S. Marines faced trouble in Crimea from
the very day of their arrival. As soon as a transport ship with containers of armaments
and equipment was delivered to the port of Feodosiya,
the locals gathered on shore carrying English-language signs and demanding that
the guests depart.
The standoff in Crimea was "a
well-planned, arranged and well-executed social project," an official in Kiev
said, while local activists pledged that they were acting on the will of the
people.
Once the rallies gained momentum, Crimea declared
itself a NATO-free zone, and the participation of Ukraine's military in Sea
Breeze 2006 was raised in Ukraine's parliament, the Supreme Rada.
The idea of bringing up the issue was shelved however, by the Yulia Timoshenko Bloc and Socialist Party factions, which managed to shelve the sitting of Parliament.
Now U.S. Marines are leaving Crimea,
terminating their presence in Ukraine. They have failed to set the stage for Sea Breeze 2006, which is due to begin July 16.
