Ukraine stops Russian missile truck

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Ukrainian traffic police Tuesday stopped a Russian truck carrying anti-ship missiles belonging to the Black Sea Fleet, military officials say.

A spokesman for the fleet told the RIA Novosti news agency that it was unknown to them why the Ukrainian officers stopped a vehicle convoy traveling through the Crimea region, because they had the proper authority from Kiev to move the missiles as part of Russia's lease of the naval base at Sevastopol.

"For reasons unknown to us, Ukraine failed to notify the police, in particular traffic police and security service officers," the Black Sea Fleet spokesman said, adding the traffic stop was the fifth such incident this year.

The spokesman said the truck was taking the missiles to be decommissioned and asserted the convoy was in full compliance with Ukrainian safety requirements.

RIA Novosti noted that Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has been calling for Russia to make preparations to withdraw the fleet from Sevastopol when the agreement on the base expires in 2017.