Oleksandr Turchynov: Despite Russian threats, we will carry out missile tests and training in accordance with the approved plans and schedules

Russia moved to a new stage of provoking the escalation of military aggression against our country. In such a way Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov commented on the statement by the Russian Federation about the readiness of its armed forces to strike military targets in the sovereign territory of Ukraine.

"The threats to use weapons against Ukraine are an attempt to move the hybrid war, waged by Russia against our country over the last three years, to an active phase", - he said, adding that along with the threats to use weapons, the Russian Federation is deploying new divisions directly near the Ukrainian border.

 "Yesterday, on November 29th, at the meeting of the collegium of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Russian defense minister Sergey Shoygu reported on the completion of establishing two motorized rifle divisions  (the 3rd and the 144th divisions of the 20th Army of the Western military command) deployed in Belgorod and Voronezh regions in close proximity to the Ukrainian border", - Oleksandr Turchynov noted adding that these divisions are fully staffed (70% are the contract soldiers) and equipped with modern weapons and military equipment.

He emphasized that, alongside this, threats to use missile weapons against Ukraine, in case military training and tests are continued, have been heard at the public level over the last week.

According to Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine, despite Russia's threats and attempts to escalate the conflict, "we will further strengthen defense capability of our state and continue missile tests and training in accordance with the approved plans and schedules within our sovereign territory and sovereign airspace".

"Ukraine operates within all the international agreements and undertaken international obligations, that is why we draw the attention of our international partners to deliberate provocations by the Russian Federation aimed at the further escalation of military aggression in the region", - Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine pointed out.

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