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| 2006 anti-NATO protests in Feodosia | |||
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Anti-NATO posters in Feodosia, 2006
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| Date | 29 May – 4 June 2006 | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Anti-NATO sentiment amongst residents of Feodosia | ||
| Goals | Cancellation of joint Ukrainian-U.S. military exercise | ||
| Methods | |||
| Resulted in | Joint military exercise being cancelled | ||
| Parties | |||
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| Number | |||
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Anti-NATO protests (including one riot) took place in the Ukrainian port city of Feodosia from late May to early June 2006, partially disrupting a joint Ukrainian-U.S. military exercise, which was canceled 20 July 2006.[1]
The military Ukraine-NATO Partnership for Peace military exercise Sea Breeze 2006 (inCrimea) was scheduled to take place in Ukraine starting 17 July 2006.[2][3] Its aim was to "simulate the defence of a peninsula caught between a totalitarian state and a democratic one."[3] "Sea Breeze" manoeuvres had been held annually since 1997.[3] Another British-Ukrainian war-game called "Tight Knot" was scheduled to start on 14 June 2006 (near Mykolaiv).[3]
On 4 June 2006, Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree on preparations of the two war-games.[citation needed] The approval for the exercises by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament) was still pending early June 2006 because after the parliamentary election of March 2006 it resumed its work on 7 June 2006.[4] In February 2006 the Verkhovna Rada elected before the 2006 election rejected a presidential bill on allowing foreign troops to take part in the maneuvers planned for 2006.[4] The Verkhovna Rada was due to vote on the same bill on 7 June 2006, but decided to adjourn until 14 June.[2][5]
On 6 June 2006, the Crimean legislature declared Crimea a "NATO-free territory".[3][5]
On 27 May 2006, the United States (U.S.) cargo ship Advantage anchored in Feodosia, bringing what Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko described as U.S. "technical aid."[4] Unarmed[3] seamen offloaded construction materials to build barracks for Ukrainian sailors at a training range near the town of Stary Krym, not far from Feodosia.[4] Two days later, Feodosia residents, mobilized by local chapters of the Party of Regions, the Nataliya Vitrenko Bloc, and the Russian Community of Crimea, began to picket the port,[4] displaying anti-NATO slogans written in Russian and blocking U.S. cargo from getting to its destination.[4]
Together with Advantage, 200 U.S. Marine Corps reservists arrived to Feodosia.[2][6] Their mission was to take part in the Sea Breeze 2006 military exercise from 17 July.[2][3] When the Marine reservists tried to reach the training facility that they were assigned to renovate[6] protesters surrounded their bus, rocking it and trying to smash the windows, eventually forcing the vehicle to head to a military sanatorium, where the reservists remained.[3] Protesters reportedly harassed Marine reservists if they stepped outside their military base.[5] The marines were advised against going into nearby towns for fear of provoking noisy confrontations.[7] On 4 June 2006 U.S. marines began leaving Crimea.[7] American and Ukrainian officials stated because their contract was ending.[7] Associated Press reported that no repair work was done at the base they were assigned to renovate.[6] On June 8 Ukraine and United Kingdom postponed Tight Knot.[6] On 20 July 2006 the United States cancelled Sea Breeze, "due to the situation in the Middle East".[1]
Reportedly the group of protesters rarely consisted of more than a few hundred demonstrators.[4][7] They accused NATO and the United States of seeking a foothold in Ukraine.[7] The Ukrainian defense ministry stated 2 June 2006 that the planned exercises were not connected with NATO.[citation needed]
The 2006 Crimean anti-NATO protests did not impact foreign military units to participate in multinational military exercises in Ukraine.[8] Various military exercises (including ones with NATO troops) were held in Crimea since 2006.[8][9]
According to a poll by Razumkov Center in March 2011, some 51% of the Crimean residents considered NATO a threat, while across Ukraine this rate was 20.6% on average.[10]
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