Ukrainian Defense Ministry: West-2017 - Cover For Deployment Of Russian Assault Troops

Over 100,000 servicemen can participate in the drills.

The military exercises West-2017 may be used as a cover for deployment of assault troops of the Russian army. Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said this in an interview with Nasha Armiya (Our Army).

"Russia has large-scale exercises every year, officially declaring: they are planned and do not threaten any state. However, experience shows that this is not true. Apart from the demonstration of strength, the drills of such a scale may well serve as a cover for the deployment of assault troops of Russian army, distribution of weapons of mass destruction and material resources in the operational areas and for working out the options for using such forces. We remember well how the Russian troops involved in the Caucasus-2008 exercises did not return from the drills and launched aggression against Georgia," –Poltorak said.

The Minister noted that the Russian Federation announced that about 13 thousand soldiers would participate in the exercises.

"However, according to our assessment over 100,000 servicemen can be involved in the drills. In addition, the Russian Federation brought there the aircraft, which has started the exercises before the scheduled dates. This creates a threat to Ukraine and other European countries. We monitor the situation and we know about the movement of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border. We maintain high combat readiness in order to adequately respond to the threat," – the head of the defense department said.

The military exercises West-2017 will be held in Belarus from September 14 to September 20.

The European Union, NATO and Ukraine have expressed their concern about the exercises.

In August, the international intelligence community InformNapalm recorded a large-scale movement of Russian military equipment along the entire European border. Experts have warned that the exercises could become a stage of "occupation and drawing Belarus into an armed conflict."

On September 8 the Warning Action demanding the cancelation of the West-2017 exercises starts at 7 pm, Kastrychnitskaya Square, Minsk.