Donbas: Kyiv invites NATO to hold joint military drills

Ukraine has offered NATO to hold joint military exercises in response to Russia's moves to amass troops near the Ukrainian border.

That's according to Deputy Head of the President's Office, Roman Mashovets, who met with the Head of the NATO Representation to Ukraine, Alexander Vinnikov, the President's Office reports.

The two officials met to discuss Russia's latest escalation in eastern Ukraine, the increasing presence of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border, possible ways of joint response, and further development of Ukraine's NATO integration process.

In the face of the amassing of Russian troops near Ukraine's borders, setting up joint exercises involving Ukraine Army and Allied forces, including joint air patrols with NATO aviation in Ukraine's airspace, will help stabilize the security situation in the region, Mashovets has told his counterpart.

Read alsoUkraine could be "destroyed" in case of Donbas escalation, Russia's Lavrov threatensThe Ukrainian official has also stressed the importance of a political response on the part of NATO leadership to the latest actions by Russia.

For his part, Alexander Vinnikov expressed condolences over Ukraine's losses in recent weeks in the fight against Russian aggression in Donbas. He stressed that all information on the security situation in the east of our country and on the border with Russia will be passed to the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels.

Background

• On March 30, 2021, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ruslan Khomchak, said the Russian Federation had amassed 28 battalion tactical groups along the state border of Ukraine and in the temporarily occupied territories and, under the guise of preparing for exercises, intends to deploy up to 25 battalion tactical groups, which poses a threat to Ukraine's military security.
• According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the invaders are reinforcing their advanced units with reconnaissance teams and sniper pairs, also employing Russian army instructors to train personnel.
• Also, the Russian occupation forces are keeping alert artillery units in combat readiness for use in certain areas, including in settlements located on the occupied territory of Ukraine.