NATO Holds Navy Drills In Black Sea Amid Russia Tensions
Sea Shield 2019, an annual Romanian-led naval exercise, continued in the Black Sea on April 12. The exercise, which began on April 5, involved more than 20 ships and crews from Romania, Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Five ships from a standing NATO maritime group participated in the exercise. The exercises took place amid increased tensions in the Black Sea region after Russia's capture of three Ukrainian naval vessels in November.
A statement from the Ukrainian Embassy on the London incident.
Disconcerting news from London. We'll have more details for you as they come in.
London Police Fire Shots After Person Rams Car Into Ukrainian Embassy Vehicle
London police have fired gunshots at a man who rammed into a diplomatic car parked outside Ukraine's Embassy, and then tried to drive into officers.
Metropolitan Police said on April 13 that officers also fired Taser stun guns at the man, who was then arrested without injury.
Police said the incident was not considered terrorist-related, and that several other cars parked on the street near the embassy, in London's Holland Park neighborhood, had also been hit.
In a statement, Ukraine's Embassy said the car belonged to the ambassador and that no embassy staff were injured.
The embassy identified the car as the ambassador's official vehicle, and said it had been parked in front of the diplomatic post.
The Evening Standard newspaper reported that the street leading to the embassy, in the Holland Park neighborhood of London, had been cordoned off
Another item from our news desk:
Poroshenko Says He Will Head For Stadium Debate Tomorrow
His challenger Volodymyr Zelenskiy may not be there, but Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced he will be at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv on April 14 for a presidential election debate.
Poroshenko is to face Zelenskiy in Ukraine's presidential runoff on April 21.
Zelenskiy won the first round late last month by a large margin, and most, if not all, opinion polls put him well out in front of the incumbent ahead of the final vote.
Both candidates have agreed to hold a debate, but not when.
Zelenskiy insists the debate take place on April 19 while Poroshenko wants it held on April 14.
The stadium has confirmed it has received requests to hold debates on both April 14 and April 19, leaving open the possibility that each candidate will show up on his preferred date and speak to supporters alone.
The campaign has been marked by theatrics on both sides, including public moves by both candidates to be tested for drugs and alcohol.
According to a statement on April 13 on the Ukrainian presidential website, press will be admitted to the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv on April 14 starting at 1 p.m., local time, one hour before what it says is the start of the scheduled debate.