Kyiv sees Russian troop movements near borders ahead of Zapad 2017 drills as unfriendly act

17:40, 16.08.2017 1 min read

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has designed a package of measures for the Ukrainian army in response to threats that may arise due to the Zapad 2017 (West 2017) drills that are due in Russia and Belarus this September, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said.

"We are keeping track of the situation and know about all Russian troops movements along our border. We understand what kind of threats may arise and will react in an adequate manner to the threats the military exercises may pose. The General Staff has identified a number of measures that would be adequate for these threats," Poltorak told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Poltorak went on to note that the upcoming exercises potentially pose a threat because large numbers of Russian Armed Forces personnel are moving closer to the Ukrainian border," and currently, we view everything happening at our border as an unfriendly act," Poltorak said.