Posted on 07/15/2018 5:34:47 AM PDT by BBell
MYKOLAIV REGION, Ukraine — A platoon of U.S. Marine reservists with the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment trained with Ukrainian marines to attack a fictitious foe, roughly 100 miles from the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula.
The purpose of Thursday’s exercise was to increase combat effectiveness and demonstrate resolve among the 17 allied and partner nations participating in the training known as Exercise Sea Breeze, now in its 18th iteration.
Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the subsequent conflict in eastern Ukraine have led to a sharp increase in tensions throughout the region. Moscow warned on Thursday that the multinational maritime exercise represented “playing with fire” in the Black Sea area. The warning comes as President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare to meet Monday in Helsinki.
The crackle of machine gun fire and crisp “pop” from the mortars carried across flat Ukrainian steppe as the fighters from both countries provided cover fire for Ukrainian BTR-80 armored transports, which speeded ground troops into position. Once dismounted, Ukrainian marines rushed the targets, engaging them with rifle and rocket fire.
(Excerpt) Read more at stripes.com ...
Somehow I'm sure this is tied in with Trump's collusion with Russia. Just ask a libtard.
Ukraine has heen treated incredibly unfairly by both Western media and Russian media. Used as a political tool of manipulation by both. People have such a skewed understanding of the country and its amazing people, and the full and complex scope of what is happening there.
In many ways, it’s the key to understanding the whole of Europe. It’s a country of numerous crossroads: religious, geographical, historic, political, linguistic...
And civilization, especially Western civilization is at a crossroads now.
What would we do if Russian troops were training with Mexican troops at our border?
While it does do that, I see little reason for U.S. Marines, or any U.S. forces, to be on the ground there.
Great question, and I hope some think about that before they think of an immediate response.
The US and The EU are in a horrid equilibrium with Russia and the fault runs both ways. It is also as chronic and intractable as it is entirely unnecessary.
Pat Buchanan is right in his assessment of the unproductive, provocative measures that the US/EU have taken for decades. And Kasparov and other Russia/Putin critics are right that Russia is a large, global menace.
Putin will not change. So if you are Donald Trump what outcome do you want? I think that there are huge huge huge opportunities to change the game to exploit the stupidities of the west (e.g., obsession over Russian meddling in US elections, Germany agreeing to buy the bulk of their energy from Putin, a pathetic EU defense budget) and the corruption and growing weakness/weak hand of Russia (where to start? Perhaps its Syria debacle) to America’s advantage.
US Troops should not be training within 100 miles of Crimea....
Healy! Ukrainian bombers!
Screw the Russians I’m an American. We operated on Hitler’s borders as well.
US troops can train with our allies anywhere on earth, and Putin can drive his truck up his ....
What's complicated?
The former Austrian Empire and the former Russian Empire do not overlap.
The people of Galicia and Lodomaria, and of the Volhynia to a degree, want to join the EU and be part of the globohomoplex.
The people of the Donbass, and the Crimea want no part of that and identify ethnically, religiously, and culturally with Russia.
There never has been and never will be a unitary Ukrainian state, no amount of neocon bulls*it will change that.
Lemberg to the EU. Donetsk to Russia.
Easy peasy.
When Deplorables want something it goes nowhere.
When Soros wants something he gets the Marine Corp?
I must have missed the memo that Ukraine became a member of NATO.
Yep, best solution is to split Ukraine and allow the Western part to join NATO and let the Russians have the Eastern part.
ALL US assets should be removed from Ukraine immediately.
There is noting even resembling a passing interest for the US there.
Americans should ask our President why we have troops and equipment in a country that we have ZERO strategic or commercial interests.
Ukraine is in limbo. Caught between the west and the east. If Russian Naval Infantry were moving into Tijuana methinks people in Washington might get upset. Hopefully, something of a positive nature will come out of Helsinki. Enough blood has been shed in the Donbas.
Liberal Americans would probably welcome it because they are inherently anti-American and they would use it as a way to get rid of Trump.
Remember the 1980’s when the Soviets were arming the Nicaraguans and causing havoc throughout the region? The democrats made it their mission to tie the hands of President Reagan. I have no doubt that the Soviets would have taken Panama and Mexico if they were not stopped.
Ukraine does have vital interests - their women.
They leave the West behind.
On paper it may be. Not when you’re on the ground.
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