Russia and Ukraine Hold Simultaneous Military Exercises, NATO and US Wary

MOSCOW – Russia and Ukraine held simultaneous military exercises on Wednesday (14/4). At the same time, NATO’s foreign ministers (menlu) and defense minister (menhan) started an emergency meeting to discuss the deployment of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border.

Washington and NATO are concerned about a large increase in Russian troops near Ukraine and in Crimea, the peninsula Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Additionally, two US warships will arrive in the Black Sea this week.

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NATO is concerned that the current tense situation could spark war in the region.

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Russia says the US naval move is a hostile provocation. Moscow warned Washington to stay away from Crimea and Black Sea waters.

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According to Russia, the troop deployment is a three-week quick military exercise to test combat readiness in response to any situation.

Moscow cites the threatening behavior of NATO. According to Russia, the military exercises will be completed in two weeks.

In the lead-up to the arrival of the US warships, the Russian navy on Wednesday began exercises in the Black Sea that train firing on surface and air targets.

The exercise comes a day after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Moscow to end its troop build-up.

In Ukraine, the armed forces are training to fend off tank and infantry attacks near Russia’s annexed Crimea border, while its defense minister, Andrii Taran, told European lawmakers in Brussels that Russia is preparing to potentially store nuclear weapons in Crimea.

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