“Comrades, generals, admirals, officers,” said an announcer, who explained every aspect of the elaborate war games intended to show Russia’s iron grip over Crimea. At least three United States reconnaissance airplanes approached Crimea on Friday, according to Interfax, the Russian news agency. Russian defense officials dismissed the accusation, saying the American aircraft had turned off its transponders and had to be identified. In 2008, similar drills held in the Caucasus precipitated Russia’s five-day war with Georgia over the breakaway Georgian republic of South Ossetia. The Crimea war games were preceded by unscheduled drills to which no observers were invited, Mr. Golts pointed out.

Source: New York Times September 10, 2016 04:52 UTC