NATO Reports Fresh Signs of Russian Invasion: Fighting intensifies in east Ukraine – Video


NATO Reports Fresh Signs of Russian Invasion: Fighting intensifies in east Ukraine
Fighting in eastern Ukraine has intensified in several locations. The fresh violence came as NATO #39;s top commander in Europe, said weapons systems seen now in the region have in the past heralded...

By: UKRAINE TODAY

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NATO Reports Fresh Signs of Russian Invasion: Fighting intensifies in east Ukraine - Video

KFOR is a success story in the Western Balkans – NATO Secretary General address, 23 JAN 2015 – Video


KFOR is a success story in the Western Balkans - NATO Secretary General address, 23 JAN 2015
KFOR is a success story in the Western Balkans Address by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to the troops at Film City, Kosovo, 23 January 2015.

By: NATO

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KFOR is a success story in the Western Balkans - NATO Secretary General address, 23 JAN 2015 - Video

NATO Shouldn’t Say ‘Never’ to Ukraine: Polish President supports Ukraine’s bid to join the alliance – Video


NATO Shouldn #39;t Say #39;Never #39; to Ukraine: Polish President supports Ukraine #39;s bid to join the alliance
NATO member Poland has said the military alliance should not say #39;never #39; to Ukraine #39;s membership ambitions. Polish President Bronisaw Komorowski made the remarks despite concluding that that...

By: UKRAINE TODAY

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NATO Shouldn't Say 'Never' to Ukraine: Polish President supports Ukraine's bid to join the alliance - Video

NATO Warns of Growing Russian Army Presence in Ukraine: Stoltenberg calls on Moscow to withdraw – Video


NATO Warns of Growing Russian Army Presence in Ukraine: Stoltenberg calls on Moscow to withdraw
NATO says it has seen an increase in Russian tanks, artillery pieces and other heavy military equipment in eastern Ukraine and has renewed its call for Moscow to withdraw its forces. Check...

By: UKRAINE TODAY

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NATO Warns of Growing Russian Army Presence in Ukraine: Stoltenberg calls on Moscow to withdraw - Video

Ukraine: ‘Bodies at Donetsk airport dressed in NATO uniforms’ – DNR’s Basurin – Video


Ukraine: #39;Bodies at Donetsk airport dressed in NATO uniforms #39; - DNR #39;s Basurin
Bodies found under the debris of Donetsk International Airport were dressed in "NATO uniforms" and had US weapons, said Eduard Basurin, deputy head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People #39;s ...

By: RuptlyTV

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Ukraine: 'Bodies at Donetsk airport dressed in NATO uniforms' - DNR's Basurin - Video

Opening remarks by Chairman of NATO Military Committee – NATO Chiefs of Defence Meeting, 21 JAN 2015 – Video


Opening remarks by Chairman of NATO Military Committee - NATO Chiefs of Defence Meeting, 21 JAN 2015
Opening remarks by the Chairman of the Military Committee, General Knud Bartels, at the 172nd meeting of the Military Committee in Chiefs of Staff session, 21 January 2015. More from the event:...

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Opening remarks by Chairman of NATO Military Committee - NATO Chiefs of Defence Meeting, 21 JAN 2015 - Video

NATO: Fighting in Eastern Ukraine Fiercer Than Ever

Fighting in eastern Ukraine is fiercer than ever in some locations, NATO's top commander in Europe said Thursday adding that the weapons systems seen now in the region have in the past heralded a fresh incursion by Russian troops.

"Violence has intensified and changed character in Ukraine," U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove told a news conference at NATO headquarters. He said the fighting has re-escalated to levels seen before the Sept. 5 Minsk cease-fire agreement "and in some cases beyond."

Questioned by reporters, Breedlove, the alliance's chief commander in Europe, said he couldn't confirm Ukrainian authorities' statements that 9,000 Russian troops had entered the country.

"(But) what we do see is that the Russian-backed forces have renewed capability now to bring pressure on the Ukrainian forces, and have in several places moved the line of contact to the west," he added.

What's more, said Breedlove, NATO intelligence has begun to detect "the signatures of air defense systems and electronic warfare systems that have accompanied past Russian troop movements into Ukraine."

He declined to specify which systems, and whether they include the Buk mobile surface-to-air missile battery blamed for shooting down a Malaysian jetliner on July 17, killing all 298 people aboard. But on two prior occasions, Breedlove said, deployment of such weaponry was accompanied by a border crossing by Russian troops.

"We see the same types of equipment, etc. in eastern Ukraine now," he said.

Breedlove spoke after defense chiefs from NATO's 28 nations met to help the alliance meet its wide-ranging agenda for 2015.

Without disclosing many details, Breedlove said a decision was made taken to restore direct contacts between NATO and the chief of the Russian general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, ties that were broken off after Russia's annexation of Crimea last March.

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NATO: Fighting in Eastern Ukraine Fiercer Than Ever

NATO detects key Russian military equipment in east Ukraine

By JOHN-THOR DAHLBURG Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) - Fighting in eastern Ukraine is fiercer than ever in some locations, NATO's top commander in Europe said Thursday - adding that the weapons systems seen now in the region have in the past heralded a fresh incursion by Russian troops.

"Violence has intensified and changed character in Ukraine," U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove told a news conference at NATO headquarters. He said the fighting has re-escalated to levels seen before the Sept. 5 Minsk cease-fire agreement "and in some cases beyond."

Questioned by reporters, Breedlove, the alliance's chief commander in Europe, said he couldn't confirm Ukrainian authorities' statements that 9,000 Russian troops had entered the country.

"(But) what we do see is that the Russian-backed forces have renewed capability now to bring pressure on the Ukrainian forces, and have in several places moved the line of contact to the west," he added.

What's more, said Breedlove, NATO intelligence has begun to detect "the signatures of air defense systems and electronic warfare systems that have accompanied past Russian troop movements into Ukraine."

He declined to specify which systems, and whether they include the Buk mobile surface-to-air missile battery blamed for shooting down a Malaysian jetliner on July 17, killing all 298 people aboard. But on two prior occasions, Breedlove said, deployment of such weaponry was accompanied by a border crossing by Russian troops.

"We see the same types of equipment, etc. in eastern Ukraine now," he said.

Breedlove spoke after defense chiefs from NATO's 28 nations met to help the alliance meet its wide-ranging agenda for 2015.

Without disclosing many details, Breedlove said a decision was made taken to restore direct contacts between NATO and the chief of the Russian general staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, ties that were broken off after Russia's annexation of Crimea last March.

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NATO detects key Russian military equipment in east Ukraine

NATO Summit, Olympic bid organizer front-runner to head McPier

NATO Summit and 2016 Olympic bid organizer Lori Healey is expected to succeed Jim Reilly as the head of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, or McPier, which oversees Chicago's massive trade show and convention business, according to a source close to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The agency owns the McCormick Place convention center and Navy Pier. If selected, Healey also would oversee construction of a 1,200-room Marriott Marquis and a new 10,000-seat DePaul University basketball arena.

Construction on both buildings is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2015 with completion in 2017, according to McPier.

Healey also served as chief of staff to former Mayor Richard Daley and currently runs his investment and consulting firm, Tur Partners. She has previous real estate experience with developer John Buck Co.

mmharris@tribpub.com

Twitter @chiconfidential

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NATO Summit, Olympic bid organizer front-runner to head McPier

NATO Secretary-General Visiting Bulgaria on Thursday

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is due to meet with top Bulgarian officials on Thursday in what a spokesperson for the alliance has described as a visit without any specific occasion.

Stoltenberg will hold conversations with Bulgaria's President Rosen Plevneliev and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, but also with Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov and Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev.

"This visit is not related to any concrete problem - it is part of the Secretary-General's plan to visit all NATO allies," Carmen Romero, NATO's Deputy Spokesperson, has told the Bulgarian National Radio.

"I would like to stress that Bulgaria is among the first countries to which he is going since he was elected to the office in October of last year," Romero added.

Stoltenberg is expected to discuss key challenges ahead of NATO allies and to express his gratitude to Bulgaria for taking part in all operations of the alliance, she has argued.

But some media reports over the past few days suggest specific issues such as defense spending, which NATO believes should be boosted in each member state to reach 2 percent of GDP by 2020 (compared to the current 1.3 percent in Bulgaria), will be at the core of Stoltenberg's conversations with Bulgarian politicians.

President Plevneliev agreed last year Bulgaria would seek to fulfill this requirement, but PM Borisov denied to increase the military spending this year, saying the government was unable to set aside any additional funding.

Stoltenberg who took over in 2014 from Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is also a former Norwegian Prime Minister.

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NATO Secretary-General Visiting Bulgaria on Thursday