Moscow has said that testing of the combat training skills of the Russian troops near the borders with Ukraine caused by a preparation to summer exercises, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko said.

"Today we received information that some units of the ground troops and Black Sea Fleet have been brought to the highest combat readiness level. We immediately responded. Russians explained this with a preparation to the exercises, which are scheduled for this year," Muzhenko said being asked a respective question by Interfax-Ukraine during the meeting with the foreign military attaches in Kyiv on Monday.

The General Staff chief said that this "doesn't cancel a necessary response from us that may occur if there are possible check-ups of the combat readiness of the Russian troops, which are deployed near the eastern borders with Ukraine."