Russia has concentrated 147,000 troops along the border: Ukraine says in OSCE that this is not an ordinary activity
Russia can increase its military units along the Ukrainian border and in the Crimea to 109 battalion tactical groups.
Russia has concentrated about 147,000 troops along the border with Ukraine and in the occupied Crimea, and Russia’s actions cannot be understood as ordinary military activity.
This was stated on February 15 by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna Yevhen Tsymbalyuk during an urgent meeting of OSCE participating States to discuss the military near the border with Ukraine, reports.Ukrinform“.
“According to our general assessment, today the Russian Federation has concentrated 126,500 servicemen along the border with Ukraine and on the occupied Crimean peninsula. Ready to use 87 battalion tactical groups, 53 of them are parts of reinforcement. With a possible share of combat support and tactical groups, the total number of troops is up to 147,500 people“- Tsimbalyuk.
He added that Russia could increase its military units along the Ukrainian border and in Crimea to 109 battalion tactical groups.
Russian troops in Belarus
The ambassador also said that 15 battalion-tactical groups of the RF Armed Forces were redeployed on the territory of Belarus. The main part of these troops was deployed along the northern border of Ukraine (near Brest, Mozyr, Gomel). In addition, Russia continues to increase number of units of the Rosguardtransferred to the area adjacent to the border with Ukraine.
Tsymbalyuk voted that his own concern at the moment was that the Russian side had significantly strengthened its front-line and army aircraft in the areas closest to the border with Ukraine, in particular in Belarus and Crimea.
“In all military districts at the airport, in Minsk and in the Grodno region in Belarus, Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod and Krasnodar regions of the Russian Federation, as well as in the occupied Crimea, there were 89 planes and 94 helicopters were redeployed. Given the above, the total number of air components of formation 410 aircraft and 260 helicopters“, – the Ukrainian ambassador reported.
Russia’s military presence in the air and at sea
He also said that Russia is significant intensified its reconnaissance and surveillance activities along the border of Ukraine with the help of all types of available aircraft equipped with appropriate systems, in particular – IL-20M, Su-24MR, Su-34.
“We should not forget about view in the Azov-Black Sea region, where Russia continues to strengthen its naval presence and landing capabilities. On February 8-9, a group of six large landing ships of the Baltic and Northern Fleets entered the Black Sea. In general, it is a part of the regional naval component of the RF Armed Forces 79 ships and 6 submarines“, – the diplomat reported.
He stressed that such a large concentration of armed forces in the surrounding areas of Ukraine “it is not possible for the military as a normal activity.” That is why Ukraine activated the 2011 OSCE Vienna Document on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures and asked Russia to provide detailed explanations on military activities in the areas adjacent to Ukraine and in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
reinforcements, an urgent meeting of OSCE participating States was held in Vienna on 15 February, convened by Ukraine in accordance with the Vienna Document to discuss the deployment and relocation of Russian troops near the border with Ukraine. Russia refused to participate in these meetings.
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