Photo from UNIAN
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko explains that the only reason why Ukraine is now conducting missile tests in the country's south near the Russia-occupied Crimean peninsula is the need to get prepared for a full-scale Russian incursion.
"Let me emphasize once again: the only reason that makes us conduct these exercises [by Ukraine's Air Force] is to be always ready for a full-scale incursion by our aggressive neighbor," he said at an official ceremony of the delivery of the colors of the National Guard's Kulchytsky battalion on Thursday, December 1.
Read alsoUkraine publishes Russia's letter against missile tests near Crimea"I am sure that over the past two years we have demonstrated that we have created a new Ukrainian army," he said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine plans to start two-day missile tests in the south of Ukraine close to the Russia-occupied Crimea on December 1 – a move that has angered Russia and made it put its air defense forces on high alert on the Crimea peninsula.
Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov asked Russia not to get into a panic about the missile tests. He assured that the drills would be conducted within the framework of international obligations and treaties.
Later Ukrainian military officials announced that guided medium-range surface-to-air missiles would be tested and the drills would involve crews of combat and transport aviation, surface-to-air missile troops units, radio-technical and communications troops, and also drones.