RUSSIAN NAVAL BASES IN CRIMEA: POSSIBLE STORAGE PLACE FOR NUCLEAR WARHEADS.

According to the Ukrainian armed forces’ Chief of Staff General Oleksandr Zatinayko, Ukraine is not certain whether the Russian Black Sea Fleet stores nuclear weapons in Crimea. As things now stand, Ukrainian and international inspectors must “stop at the gates of Russian naval bases” instead of checking on Russian compliance with arms control agreements on Ukrainian territory. Zatinayko said that he has just held talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart, General Anatoly Kvashnin, on this issue. The Ukrainian side proposes negotiations toward an intergovernmental agreement that would authorize checks at Russian arsenals and naval bases in Crimea. (Den (Kyiv), June 23). The Russian Black Sea Fleet commander, Admiral Viktor Kravchenko, said not long ago that missiles aboard his ships can quickly be fitted with nuclear warheads from storage, if so ordered by Moscow.

AJARIA MOVES TOWARD CONFRONTATION WITH TBILISI.