RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service has some more details of U.S. General Philip Breedlove's visit to Kyiv today:
The U.S. general who is NATO's senior commander in Europe has said that there is a large number of Russians providing "backbone guidance and training" to separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, and promised that the United States will support Ukraine in the face of an "immediate threat from Russia" to its sovereignty.
Speaking during a visit to Kyiv today, U.S. General Philp Breedlove said the United States would help Ukraine pursue a diplomatic solution to the conflict with pro-Russian separatists that would respect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Breedlove expressed deep concern over "the militarization of Crimea," the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in March.
"We are concerned that the capabilities in Crimea that are being installed" would enable Russia to "exert military influence over the Black Sea," he told a news conference.
In addition to a sizable Russian force with a "coercive capability" near the border, Breedlove said that within Ukraine "we still see a large number" of Russians "who are involved primarily in training, advising, assisting, and helping Russian-backed forces in the east."
Here is some Crimea news from RFE/RL's Russian Service:
SIMFEROPOL, Crimea -- A Crimean Tatar has been detained in connection with clashes between Russian police and Crimean Tatars.
Edem Ebulisov's lawyer, Emil Kuberdinov, said his client was detained on November 25 and may be charged with assaulting police.
Ebulisov is the fourth Crimean Tatar arrested over clashes that occurred near Crimea's northern city of Armyansk in May.
Last month, Musa Apkerimov, Rustam Abdurakhmanov, and Tair Smeldyaev, were arrested and charged with assaulting police.
They were among thousands of Crimean Tatars who clashed with police near Armyansk as their veteran leader, Mustafa Dzhemilev, was prevented by authorities from entering Crimea on May 3.
Moscow-backed authorities of Crimea, the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula that was annexed by Russia in March, banned Dzhemilev from entering Crimea for five years.
Dzhemilev and the majority of Crimean Tatars oppose the annexation.
Our news desk has reported some comments made by U.S. General Philip Breedlove on a visit to Kyiv today:
Top NATO general Breedlove says "large number" of Russians in eastern Ukraine providing "backbone guidance and training" to separatist forces.
Breedlove says that Ukraine's sovereignty is "under immediate threat from Russia" and that the United States is committed to supporting Ukraine.