Watch the Balkins !

The Black Sea is definately heating up. I feel that what is going on with Russian and the Ukraine (sp) is definately something to keep an eye on. When the # hits the fan in the Balkins there will be no doubt that WWIII has begun, or as some believe WWIV.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE ISLAND DISPUTE THREATENS TO ESCALATE

MOSCOW : A territorial dispute between Russia and Ukraine over an island that is key to controlling lucrative shipping routes in the Sea of Azov threatened to erupt into a full-blown standoff.

www.channelnewsasia.com/s...62/1/.html

UKRAINIAN PREMIER TO PAY VISIT TO MOSCOW ON FRIDAY TO DISCUSS INSSUES INVOLVING AZOV SEA AND KERCH STRAIT
Kyiv, October 23 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine's Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych will pay a working visit to Moscow on Friday.

He is going to meet with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Kasyanov to discuss issues involving the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait.

www.interfax.kiev.ua/eng/...0031023002
UKRAINE CONDUCTS MILITARY EXERCISE IN KERCH PENINSULA

KIEV, October 22, 2003. (RIA Novosti)

The Ukrainian Air Force conducts training launches of missiles near Cape Chauda in the area of Kerch Peninsula in the Crimea.

Fighters flying practice including missile launches is supervised by Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Air Force Lieutenant-General Yaroslav Skalko, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported Wednesday.

en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm...do_alert=0

TENSIONS RISE IN BLACK SEA

By Nikolai Gorshkov
BBC, Moscow
TV pictures from the scene of Russia's border dispute with Ukraine near the Black Sea look like reports from a war zone.
Ukrainian troops in riot gear have been training against the backdrop of anti-tank defences and barbed wire.
Story from BBC NEWS:

neww.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-...204957.stm

CRAP ! None of my links are working, don't know what I'm doing wrong, sorry bout that guys I'll try and figure it out.

I don't think the Ukraine is considered the Balkans, per se but I have been known to be wrong. However, this is still not good news. This could escalate and drag all knods of ex-Soviet bloc countries into the fray.

You are correct, Observer, the Balkans are no where near the Ukraine, they are on the Balkan/Greek penninsula, on the medditerranian sea, somewhat near the black sea, but seperated by sea and Turkey.

The area we are refering to ehre is best known as Crimea, and wars over that peninsula that juts into the black sea have been fought. Russia and Ukraine have been at odds for sometime, and Stalin butchered and Murdered Millions of Ukranians, thus, animosity still exists there in some form.

Yes, it would be wise to watch whats happening there. The former soviet republics, thier feelings, and Russias behavior towards them. i doubt it will be world war 3, Unless of course, Russia gets agressive, and Europe actually coinfronts them......

The Balkans, for your information, comrpise the former nation of Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece, now known as the countries of Serbia, Croatia, macedonia, Bosnia-Herzogovinia, Slovenia.