“Russia can at any time go to hostilities in the south of Ukraine,” – said the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Sergei Naev. He predicts that Moscow will continue to use hybrid measures in the near term.
The military threat posed by Russia in the south of Ukraine is only growing every year, the general said in an interview published on Monday by the RBK-Ukraine portal.
– It cannot be said that there are direct signs that Russia will begin military aggression in the near future. But the intensive militarization of the occupied peninsula and the creation of a powerful military base only increase the threat to Ukraine’s national security in the military sphere, Nayev said.
He added that the experience of 2014, when the conflict broke out in Donbass, proves that “Russia can not only aggravate, but also move to real hostilities in southern Ukraine at any time convenient for the Russian leadership.”
He stressed that against the background of Kiev’s launch of the Crimean Platform mechanism, Russia “is increasing pressure to prevent the development of an existing mechanism for the peaceful destruction of Crimea, threatening a possible expansion of military aggression.”
Transfer of troops
According to Nazhev, there are currently no signs of the formation of offensive units on the peninsula, however, taking into account the experience gained during the exercises, Russia has the ability to effectively transfer troops over long distances.
Ukrainian forces are ready to respond to any threats from the Crimean direction, the commander assured and stressed that Ukraine is strengthening its land and sea borders in the south.
“Given the importance of Russia strengthening its military potential around Ukraine and conducting major maneuvers, including on offensive topics, threats of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine remain,” he said.
Referring to the situation in Donbass, the general noted that recently, cases of the use of weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements by enemy forces, including against civilian objects, have become more frequent. According to him, the main purpose of such actions is “a demonstration of force, impunity and impudence.”
According to the general, in the near future, Russia will most likely continue to use hybrid measures to influence Ukraine. According to the general, these actions will concern the preservation of the unstable situation in the east of Ukraine, the destabilization of the socio-political situation in the country and the information space.