Russia is concerned about participation of countries that do not belong to the Black Sea region in the Sea Breeze 2008 international naval exercise in Ukraine.
This is stated in the comments from the information and press department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
"The nature of the exercise, the attempts to present them in anti-Russian spirit and participation of non-region countries cannot but raise questions and concern to some extent," the ministry said.
Russia cannot understand why the Black Sea basin has been chosen for the exercise.
"It seems that the Black Sea countries can solve the tasks of ensuring security and stability at the Black Sea themselves, without paternalistic interference from outside, and they can rely on the already available mechanisms such as BLACKSEAFOR and Black Sea Harmony," the ministry said.
It noted that exercises like this have in recently years been accompanied by many protest rallies of local population and, considering the political situation around the exercise, the Ministry of Defense of Russia has refused to join it.
Raising the level of interaction and compatibility of the participating countries in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations was declared the aim of these maneuvers.
"However, such elements as reconnaissance, search for a submarine of an imaginary enemy, navigation control measures, repulsion of air and sea attacks, landing operation, shooting exercise, etc. have been the subject of training," the ministry said.
The comments say that demonstrations against the exercise reflect the attitude of the people of Ukraine after the Ukrainian authorities took a course toward NATO membership, which does not make the good-neighbor relations with Russia stronger.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the Sea Breeze 2008 international military exercise began in Odesa region on July 14. Its four stages will take time from July 14 to July 26.
Participating in Sea Breeze 2008 are 16 countries, namely Azerbaijan, Britain, Armenia, Greece, Georgia, Denmark, Latvia, Macedonia, Germany, Norway, Romania, the United States, Turkey, France, and Ukraine.
Around 1,000 people will take part in the exercise in the regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv and in Crimea.
