Ukrainian army drills unrelated to NATO's plans for Black Sea region

10:39, 02.12.2016 1 min read

Missile drills conducted by the Ukrainian Air Force in the country's south are a scheduled event, which is unrelated to the NATO intention to broaden its presence in the Black Sea region, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said.

"These exercises of the Air Force have absolutely no relation to the NATO plans to bolster its forces in the Black Sea basin. The alliance sees the threats, the reassignment of Russian military capacities in Crimea, and the enlargement of forces. So, they are offering an appropriate response by increasing their group precisely in the Black Sea," Poltorak told Interfax in an interview on Thursday.

He said that Ukraine was ready to cooperate with NATO in that field.

"However, I think this can be done upon coordination, after alliance member countries make a strategic decision. We cannot make this decision on our own," he said.