Statement of the MFA of Ukraine on strengthening of military grouping of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation near borders of Ukraine

During the last days in the areas of the Russian Federation, adjacent to the border with Ukraine, a notable increase in concentration of manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is being witnessed. The fact of strengthening of the Russian military grouping near the borders with Ukraine was confirmed on June 19, 2014, by Russian Minister of Defense Sergiy Shoigu. 

Conducting by the neighboring state of the aforementioned military activities with unidentified tasks does not contribute to normalizing of the situation in Ukraine and implementation of peace initiatives of the leadership of our nation.

The lasting concentration of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and their increased activity near the borders of Ukraine causes special concern on the background of numerous confirmed facts of delivery from the cross-border region of armaments and military equipment, including battle tanks, multiple launch rocket systems, MANPADs and mortars, to the terrorists, acting in Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Taking into account the aforementioned, Ukraine, proceeding from the provisions of paragraph 16 of the Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures, addressed the Russian Federation through the OSCE communication network with the demand to officially explain the aims of the military activity and to inform on the amount and type of forces involved.