U.S. commander praises Ukraine

KYIV – The commander of U.S. soldiers in Europe praised Ukraine’s military for its treatment of two Russian soldiers who were captured on May 16 near the front line between pro-Russian separatists and government forces. The capture of the troops on Ukrainian territory was another indication of Moscow’s meddling in the country, said U.S. Army Europe’s Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges during a news conference on May 19 in Kyiv. “I was impressed and want to congratulate Ukrainian armed forces and the government for the way that you handled the situation with the two captured Russian soldiers,” Lt. Gen. Hodges said. He credited Ukraine for promptly informing international ceasefire monitors and the Red Cross about the capture and providing the Russian troops with medical care. Lt. Gen. Hodges, who was in Ukraine to observe the progress of a USAREUR (U.S. Army in Europe) mission to train the country’s new national guard, said the capture of the soldiers underscores the need for full access to the ceasefire line by monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. “The monitoring by OSCE is essential,” Lt. Gen. Hodges said. “On the Ukrainian side of the line of contact, it’s almost complete transparency. Some places could improve, but it is almost complete transparency. Unfortunately on the other side, the Russian-led separatist side, there are large areas where we don’t have monitoring by the OSCE.” (John Vandiver of Stars and Stripes)