Ukrainian Defense Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov confirmed media reports that Ukraine is redeploying its armed forces. "All the redeployments of the Ukrainian armed forces are part of the strengthening of the defense capability of the Ukrainian state," the Defense Ministry press service quoted Yekhanurov as saying.
"We will take a year to implement the decisions on the redeployment of forces that have been made," Yekhanurov said at a meeting at his ministry.
"There will be redeployments in the future as well," he said.
The media reported, without citing any official sources, that Ukraine was intensively strengthening its southern and northern borders and that, in doing so, it was moving air defense and air force units to its eastern and southern regions.
Yekhanurov said redeployment is routine practice but that, "in view of the latest events in the world, we must react flexibly."
The chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, Gen. of the Army Serhiy Kyrychenko, also advocated building up the country's defense capability.
