Military Exercise With U.S. Begins

Ukraine celebrated the sixth anniversary of its declaration of independence from Moscow on Sunday with a military exercise that reflects its complex relationship with Russia and its tightening ties with the West.

Ukraine’s navy chief, Rear Adm. Mikhaylo Yezhel, announced the official opening of Sea Breeze ‘97, which brought two U.S. ships to Crimea and unloaded more than 100 American sailors and Marines onto shore - an unprecedented U.S. presence on the mostly ethnic Russian peninsula.

Also participating in the peacekeeping exercise, which is similar to others Ukraine has hosted since joining NATO’s partnership for peace program in 1994, are Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Georgia.

Ukraine has cultivated close relations with both Russia and the West. In recent months, President Leonid Kuchma signed a charter tightening ties with NATO and a pact establishing friendly relations with Russia.

No military activities took place Sunday. Instead, sailors drank beer or competed in arm wrestling matches, tugs-of-war and other tests of strength.

The peaceful nature of Sunday’s activities was a bid to appease Russia, which refused last year to participate in Sea Breeze because initial plans had U.S. Marines making an amphibious landing on Crimea.