2006 anti-NATO protests in Feodosia

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2006 anti-NATO protests in Feodosia
Feodosiya protest 2006.jpg
Anti-NATO posters in Feodosia, 2006
Date29 May – 4 June 2006
Location
Feodosia, Ukraine
Caused byAnti-NATO sentiment amongst residents of Feodosia
GoalsCancellation of joint Ukrainian-U.S. military exercise
Methods
Resulted inJoint military exercise being cancelled
Parties
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Anti-NATO protesters
Number
Few hundred

Anti-NATO protests (including one riot) took place in the Ukrainian port city of Feodosia from late May to early June 2006, partially disrupting a joint Ukrainian-U.S. military exercise, which was canceled 20 July 2006. [1]

Contents

Background

The military Ukraine-NATO Partnership for Peace military exercise Sea Breeze 2006 (in Crimea) was scheduled to take place in Ukraine starting 17 July 2006. [2] [3] Its aim was to "simulate the defence of a peninsula caught between a totalitarian state and a democratic one." [3] "Sea Breeze" manoeuvres had been held annually since 1997. [3] Another British-Ukrainian war-game called "Tight Knot" was scheduled to start on 14 June 2006 (near Mykolaiv). [3]

On 4 June 2006, Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree on preparations of the two war-games.[ citation needed ] The approval for the exercises by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) was still pending early June 2006 because after the parliamentary election of March 2006 it resumed its work on 7 June 2006. [4] In February 2006 the Verkhovna Rada elected before the 2006 election rejected a presidential bill on allowing foreign troops to take part in the maneuvers planned for 2006. [4] The Verkhovna Rada was due to vote on the same bill on 7 June 2006, but decided to adjourn until 14 June. [2] [5]

On 6 June 2006, the Crimean legislature declared Crimea a "NATO-free territory". [3] [5]

Events

On 27 May 2006, the United States (U.S.) cargo ship Advantage anchored in Feodosia, bringing what Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko described as U.S. "technical aid." [4] Unarmed [3] seamen offloaded construction materials to build barracks for Ukrainian sailors at a training range near the town of Stary Krym, not far from Feodosia. [4] Two days later, Feodosia residents, mobilized by local chapters of the Party of Regions, the Nataliya Vitrenko Bloc, and the Russian Community of Crimea, began to picket the port, [4] displaying anti-NATO slogans written in Russian and blocking U.S. cargo from getting to its destination. [4]

Together with Advantage, 200 U.S. Marine Corps reservists arrived to Feodosia. [2] [6] Their mission was to take part in the Sea Breeze 2006 military exercise from 17 July. [2] [3] When the Marine reservists tried to reach the training facility that they were assigned to renovate [6] protesters surrounded their bus, rocking it and trying to smash the windows, eventually forcing the vehicle to head to a military sanatorium, where the reservists remained. [3] Protesters reportedly harassed Marine reservists if they stepped outside their military base. [5] The marines were advised against going into nearby towns for fear of provoking noisy confrontations. [7] On 4 June 2006 U.S. marines began leaving Crimea. [7] American and Ukrainian officials stated because their contract was ending. [7] Associated Press reported that no repair work was done at the base they were assigned to renovate. [6] On June 8 Ukraine and United Kingdom postponed Tight Knot. [6] On 20 July 2006 the United States cancelled Sea Breeze, "due to the situation in the Middle East". [1]

Reportedly the group of protesters rarely consisted of more than a few hundred demonstrators. [4] [7] They accused NATO and the United States of seeking a foothold in Ukraine. [7] The Ukrainian defense ministry stated 2 June 2006 that the planned exercises were not connected with NATO.[ citation needed ]

NATO-involved military events in Ukraine since 2006

The 2006 Crimean anti-NATO protests did not impact foreign military units to participate in multinational military exercises in Ukraine. [8] Various military exercises (including ones with NATO troops) were held in Crimea since 2006. [8] [9]

According to a poll by Razumkov Center in March 2011, some 51% of the Crimean residents considered NATO a threat, while across Ukraine this rate was 20.6% on average. [10]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 U.S.-Led Naval Exercise In Black Sea Cancelled, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (20 July 2006)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jeremy, Page (June 8, 2006). "Anti-Nato protests threaten eastward expansion". Irish Independent .
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Page, Jeremy (June 2006). "US troops trapped in barracks as protesters reheat Cold War 07". The Times Online . London. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ukraine: U.S. Navy Stopover Sparks Anti-NATO Protests, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (1 June 2006)
  5. 1 2 3 Russia tells Ukraine to stay out of Nato, The Guardian (8 June 2006)
  6. 1 2 3 4 U.S. Marines Leave Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (11 June 2006)
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 U.S. reservists pull out of Ukraine, The New York Times (11 June 2006)
  8. 1 2 Crimean communists to protest against NATO's Sea Breeze exercises, Kyiv Post (May 27, 2010)
  9. ↑ Foreign Ministry: Sea Breeze 2011 drills no danger to Ukraine's neighbors (updated), Kyiv Post (Jun 14, 2011)
    Ukraine: Clear Sailing Expected For Sea Breeze Naval Exercises, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (9 July 2007)
    UK-Ukraine leadership training in Crimea, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (4 April 2012)
  10. ↑ Poll: Most Crimean residents consider Ukraine their motherland, Kyiv Post (11 April 2011)
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