Rada allowed NATO into Ukraine to hold exercises

19.05.2010 On Tuesday Ukrainian parliament approved participation of NATO countries in international exercises to be held in Ukraine in 2010; out of 226 required, 394 MPs voted for this decision.

International exercises with participation of NATO countries are conducted in Ukraine annually. Partner of dominant Party of Regions – Communist Party of Ukraine – traditionally voted against presence of the Alliance's forces in Ukraine.

Foreign troops are allowed into Ukraine by ratification of a special presidential bill. Such scheme is provided by the law adopted in 2000 and specified procedure for admittance and terms of presence of foreign military forces in Ukrainian territory.

The exercises supposed to be held in 2010 are the Ukrainian-Polish-Canadian-Lithuanian exercise Maple Arch, the multinational exercise Barrier, the Light Avalanche exercise, the Ukrainian-Slovak exercise Slavs for Peace, the multinational Cossack Steppe exercise, the Ukrainian-American exercise Sea Breeze and the Ukrainian-American exercise Rapid Trident.

About 3,000 men from 18 countries will take part in abovementioned maneuvers.

The largest of them is Sea Breeze exercise. Annually held in either Crimea or other Ukraine's seaside regions, it is always followed by mass protest actions. In 2006 Sea Breeze exercise was broken up due to such actions.