Oleksandr Turchynov: Russia Transports Su-27 and Combat Helicopters to Belarus

The Kremlin is strengthening its military presence along the Ukrainian border.

Russia is building up new military sites and redeploying forces to Belarus and the occupied Crimea. Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, wrote on his Facebook page.

According to him, Russia is building up new military sites near Boguchar, Voronezh Region, Valuika of the Belgorod Region, as well as near Kadamovskij training area in the Rostov region.

In addition, Russian military potential is increasing in the occupied Crimea. Russian military cargo planes, Su-27 fighters, and combat helicopters are transported to the airbase in Babruisk, which is also located close enough to the Ukrainian border.

«It all absolutely disowns statements of the Russian leadership on de-escalation of military confrontation and peaceful solution of military conflicts created by them, Turchynov emphasized. –Russia continues the hybrid war not only against Ukraine, but the EU and Turkey. It is being done to mitigate positions of these countries and force them to cooperation with RF on its conditions "to fight terrorism".

It should be reminded that in September Vladimir Putin ordered to sign an agreement on creation of a Russian airbase in Belarus. Lukashenka in his turn stated that had known nothing about it and the issue on the airbase. He also expressed surprise "why Russians launched that information in mass media." Later he called it a "smear campaign" of "a political nature."

On November 24 Alexander Lyapkin, Head of operation Directorate of ASF of Russia, told that there would be 12 air fighters and 4 helicopters in Babruisk. Lyapkin urged Belarus to accelerate signing of the document and added that it had been agreed with Minsk. The Belarusian Defence Ministry did not comment on the statement and referred to statements of Lukashenka.