COSSACKS' STEPPE-2000 NOT TO AFFECT ENVIRONMENT, EXERCISE COMMANDER SAYS

The Cossacks' Steppe-2000 multinational exercises - to be held in eastern Crimea on Sept 11-21 with the participation of military units from Ukraine, Great Britain, and Poland - will be of purely peacekeeping character and will in no way affect the environment nor repel holiday-makers from Crimea, Ukraine's Deputy Navy Commander for Combat Training Rear-Admiral Viktor Maksimov, Cossacks' Steppe-2000 first deputy commander said to journalists in Feodosia.

The exercises will be held under the command of Mykhailo Yezhel, Ukrainian Navy Commander. Preparatory phase of the exercises will be held at marines' training ground near the village of Krasnokamenka, 40 kilometers of Feodosia, from Sept 11 to 17; and the active phase will take place at the Opuk training ground, around 100 kilometers of Feodosia on Sept 18- 21. No firing exercises using artillery shells or missiles have been planned. Besides, the exercises - to involve around 800 men in total - cannot be rated as large-scale, said Maksimov.

Opening ceremony for Cossacks' Steppe-2000 will take place on Sept 12. On Monday, Sept 11, a 130-men reinforced marines' company of the British Navy and a 70-strong reinforced airborne company of the Polish Armed Forces are to arrive at the exercise site. Also employed in the exercise will be four Ukrainian ships and craft and a British Navy ship, 40 motor and armored vehicles plus six aircraft and helicopters.

(CACDS, September 11)