Ukraine’s Ministry Of Defense: We Are Ready To Counteract Provocations At West-2017 Exercises

• 24.07.2017, 14:14

Stepan Poltorak made a statement about possible provocations from Russia.

It is not ruled out that provocations against Ukraine could be carried out by Russia under far-fetched pretexts during the Russian-Belarusian military exercises West-2017, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said on Facebook, Gordon writes.

"Holding of Russian exercises West-2017 causes concern. We do not exclude the possibility of provocations by the Russian Federation under far-fetched pretexts. Under such conditions, Ukraine is forced to secure its defense capability," - the Minister wrote.

On July 21, Poltorak stated that the West-2017 exercises could be used to launch aggression not only against Ukraine, but against any country in Europe.

On June 30, the Defense Minister, at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, stated that holding the West-2017 exercises on the border with Ukraine was a threat to the state.

The commander of the US ground forces in Europe, Lieutenant General Ben Hodges believes that the Russian-Belarusian exercise West-2017 can play the role of a "Trojan horse."

According to the Minister of Defense of Estonia Margus Tsakhkna, Russia can use the West-2017 to deploy thousands of soldiers in Belarus as a warning to NATO.

The exercise West-2017 is scheduled on September 14-20.