Yuri Gempel, the head of the Crimean parliament's committee on international relations, called on NATO on Friday to stop expanding its military presence in the Black Sea
SIMFEROPOL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2019) Yuri Gempel, the head of the Crimean parliament's committee on international relations, called on NATO on Friday to stop expanding its military presence in the Black Sea.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Thursday that member states had agreed to boost support for NATO allies Ukraine and Georgia in the Black Sea via enhancing surveillance and information exchange and holding drills. The measures will also include more frequent visits of NATO ships to the Black Sea in order to ensure safety of navigation in the Kerch Strait.
"NATO states should stop and not cross the red line. The expansion of their military presence in the Black Sea is a provocation, mainly orchestrated by the United States. The aim of such provocations is to invent grounds for creating new military bases closer to the Russian borders. It is appalling how bold they interfere in our state interests," Gempel told Sputnik.
He voiced the belief that Russia would provide a sharp response to any provocation, stressing that the country would act within law to protect its interests.
"I am sure that our Armed Forces are able to counter any provocateur in our territorial waters. As for Crimea, there are enough of our forces there so that the population could live and work calmly under the safe sky," Gempel added.
Russia has repeatedly accused NATO of expanding its presence near the country's borders.
