NATO for the integrity of Ukraine

Amid ongoing in Russia the sudden check of combat readiness of troops and forces of the Western and Central military districts, NATO defense ministers issued a statement: The North Atlantic Alliance will support the "sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity" of Ukraine, according to Reuters.
"Independent, sovereign and stable Ukraine firmly committed to democracy and the rule of law is a key factor in Euro-Atlantic security," said the statement that was issued after the ministerial meeting in Brussels.
The document emphasizes: "In accordance with the Charter of Partnership between Ukraine and NATO, the Allies will continue to support the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and the inviolability of the borders of Ukraine. These principles are basic to the stability and security in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as the continent as a whole."
Also, the defense ministers of NATO brought their condolences to the families of people killed during the protests in Ukraine. "We continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine and regret the tragic loss of lives," said the ministers. In addition, NATO ministers approved neutrality of the Ukrainian army during the unrest.
Incidentally, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the U.S. does not want conflict with Russia over Ukraine and, especially, to start another cold war, ITAR -TASS reported. Kerry, however, urged Moscow to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine and "be very careful" when judging events.
Note that on the situation in Crimea, Western politicians had no immediate comment. Earlier Ukraine was flooded with rumors about the Russian Special Forces, supposedly already arrived in the Crimea. For example, some media claimed, citing sources in Sevastopol that the squadron of the Black Sea Fleet, returning Feb. 25 from Olympic Sochi, brought 11,000 soldiers with assault weapons. However, these rumors were not officially confirmed.
Today, February 26, in Russia began a sudden comprehensive check of the combat readiness of troops and forces of the Western and Central military districts, as well as a number of arms, as reported by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. He stressed that the test does not apply to the Ukrainian events. However, the Western media, which in the past few days were worried about the Crimea and the Russian army entering there, accepted the exercises differently. For example, the Reuters news agency called checking "the most powerful gesture of the Kremlin" in the last few days and compared the situation with the 2008 conflict in South Ossetia. -0 -