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US Frigate's Port Call in Crimea Draws Protests


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.

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