2015-04-16 09:01:00

NATO Military Manoeuvres Near Ukraine; Ally Of Pro-Russian President Dead


(Vatican Radio)-- Several thousand American, British, Romanian and Moldovan troops take part in military exercises in Romania amid growing tensions with Russia. Thursday's military manoeuvres began amid reports that a close ally of Ukraine's ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was found shot dead in Kiev.  

Click below to listen to Regional Correspondent Stefan Bos’ report:

Ukraine's Interior Ministry said Oleg Kalashnikov, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, was found dead late Wednesday evening. It said the he had died of gunshot wounds but did not say whether it was believed to be homicide or suicide. Some sources say his body was found outside his Kiev apartment, others say it was found within. 

As many as eight Yanukovych allies have died in the past three months. Commentators accuse both the Western government and opponents of involvement in the "killings". The latest death was expected to add to East-West tensions. Kiev and West have accused Moscow of seeking to destabilize the country by supporting pro-Russian separatists with weapons and troops. But the Kremlin accuses the West of backing what it views as an extremist regime. 

NATO EXPANDING

Undeterred by this criticism the NATO military alliance is extending its presence in Eastern Europe where governments have expressed concern about what they view as Russian aggressiveness. 

From Thursday some 2,200 Romanian, U.S., British and Moldovan participate in what is known as Operation "Wind Spring 15" which will continue until April 30 at two locations in eastern Romania: the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase near the Black Sea port of Constanta and the Smardan shooting range. 

Romania, along with Poland, Bulgaria, and the Baltic nations, will also host command centers for NATO'S already announced new rapid-response force, which will consist of roughly 5,000 troops.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg defended the alliance actions during a recent debate with the Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of Russia's parliament, the State Duma, Konstantin Kosachev. 

SHOUTING MATCH

"The big difference is that we are a defensive alliance," Stoltenberg told Kosachev. "You (Russia) are sending troops into neighboring countries and you are violating international law," the NATO official added.  Kosachev countered: "We are not sending troops into neighboring countries. [NATO General Philip M.] Breedlove believes we do. Mr. Breedlove believes we do. But we do not. Present evidence."  However the verbal clash during a panel discussion on Ukraine organized by the German Marshall Fund's Brussels Forum underscored what observers have called the biggest East-West confrontation since the Cold War. 

More than 6,000 people have died in the conflict between government forces and pro-Russian rebels in Eastern Ukraine, according to United Nation estimates. 








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