Stepan Poltorak: Lithuania is our strategic partner supporting Ukraine in fighting against aggressor
Minister of Defence
of Ukraine General of the
Army of Ukraine
issued this
statement during meeting with
a group of the Lithuanian journalists in Kyiv.
The Minister briefed
the guests on effective bilateral
cooperation and Lithuania’s assistance provided to Ukraine,
including the work of Lithuanian
advisers, military instructors, treatment and rehabilitation of the Ukrainian
military in Lithuania and experience
sharing.
“The Ukrainian
units trained by Lithuanian instructors
demonstrate their effectiveness during operations in east
of Ukraine. Our service personnel
enhanced their combat capabilities”, Gen. Poltorak underscored.
The Minister also spoke
about situation in east of
Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk
oblasts.
“The situation
is tense in the region;
meanwhile, it is under control
of our troops.
Russia tests new equipment and
weapons there”, the Minister remarked.
The Minister reiterated the Ukrainian
stance regarding possible deployment of the UN peacekeeping
mission in Donbas.
“We insist
the UN Mission should be deployed
along the whole occupied territory of Ukraine
under the international law. It is necessary
to ensure control over the
part of the
Ukrainian-Russian state border
which is temporarily not under control of
Ukraine; all illegal armed formations
and RF regular troops should leave
the territory of Ukraine. The
Mission should control heavy weapons,
too. And the last, Russia
cannot participate in this mission”,
Gen. Poltorak said.