US Marines en route to Ukraine detained for carrying arms
Nine American Marines en route to Ukraine were detained in the Austrian capital of Vienna for carrying assault rifles and handguns without proper clearance.
The US Marines were travelling to Ukraine to participate in Exercise Saber Guardian that began on July 20. The incident was reported to the media some 10 days after it happened.
The servicemen, traveling on commercial flights from Alaska, had problems with a connecting flight at Vienna’s Schwechat Airport and had to leave the transit area and rebook, Austrian Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Michael Bauer said.
Airport security personnel found M16 assault rifles and pistols while scanning the American Marines’ luggage. The soldiers had no permits allowing them to carry weapons.
Austrian police then expelled the US Marines from the country along with their weapons on a return flight bound for Washington.
“By unintentional oversight, the necessary clearances required for transiting Austria were not properly processed prior to their departure. The Austrian authorities were very helpful in resolving this issue,” US European Command spokesperson David Westover told media.
Relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated sharply since Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea joined the Russian Federation following a referendum back in March 2014.
The US and its allies accuse Moscow of sending troops into eastern Ukraine in support of the pro-Russian forces. Moscow has long denied involvement in Ukraine's crisis.
The US military will soon start training Ukrainian armed forces engaged in the conflict with pro-Russia fighters, the State Department said last week.
The United States has already deployed troops to Ukraine to train National Guard forces. Under the new plan, the US military would train regular military units.
US announces $6 billion military aid for Ukraine amid massive strikes
US to pull out troops from Chad in second African state withdrawal
Yemeni armed forces strike British oil tanker in Red Sea
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
VIDEO | US sanctions on Syria impede country's recovery, increase Syrians' suffering
VIDEO | People of Pakistan lay foundation of al-Aqsa Museum in solidarity with Palestinians
VIDEO | The Shankill Butchers
VIDEO | Africa’s stolen heritage
VIDEO | An insider’s view of the country: Birjand, the city of science and glass art
‘Violent suppression of anti-Zionist student protests shows West’s true colors’
VIDEO | Displaced Gazans thank US students for their support
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
