Pro-Russian demonstrators in Crimea have protested against the arrival
of a U.S. naval frigate in Sevastopol, the Ukrainian port where
Russia's Black Sea fleet is based.
News-agency reports from Sevastopol say the demonstrators shouted "NATO out" and "Yankee go
home" during their protest Wednesday. Ukraine's navy says the U.S.
naval vessel is on a friendly visit to the Black Sea and is not taking
part in any military exercises.
Sevastopol's naval base dates
back to Soviet times. Through a lease agreement with Ukraine, Russia
will operate the facility until 2017.
Ukraine's campaign to
win NATO membership has been strongly opposed by Moscow, which says it
will not accept any further expansion of the western alliance on
Russia's borders.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
