Contents tagged with Turchynov

  • Turchynov announces large-scale exercises of Ukrainian military in the Azov Sea

    Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov stated that the Ukrainian military would carry out large-scale exercises in the Azov Sea. Turchynov noted that he is aware of that Russia intends to hold military exercises in the Azov Sea in the near future.

    "The Ukrainian military will also carry out serious exercises in the Azov Sea,” he said. He announced that the Ukrainian military is reinforcing the Coast Guard and building up the Air power in the Azov …

  • Hungary expels Ukrainian diplomat

    Hungary declared the first Secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy in Budapest persona non-grata. The Ukrainian Ambassador in Hungary was duly informed, the press service of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday, October 4. The employee of the Ukrainian Embassy was ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.

    Earlier that day, Ukraine stated that the Hungarian Consul in the city of Berehove in the Zakarpattia region would be expelled. According to the Ministry’s press service, the …

  • Turchynov: Russia concentrates its forces along Ukrainian border

    Russia is deploying additional troops near the Ukrainian border, stated Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov.

    “We can see active attempts to deploy additional military units along the Ukrainian border, and their number is already comparable with those of 2014 when the Russian State Duma decided to deploys troops [to Crimea and Donbas]. These new units are not simply a demonstration of force.  They can be used for active military actions. We …

  • Ukrainian Armed Forces receive 16 modernized tanks and five new armored vehicles

    Ukrainian Armed Forces received modernized tanks T-80 and T-64BV and the new model of military trucks. A celebratory ceremony took place upon receiving weapons and military equipment for the Armed Forces. The ceremony took place during the visit of National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov to the defense enterprise in Kharkiv, reported the press service of the NSDC.

    The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council visited Kharkiv’s design and engineering …

  • Turchynov: Ukraine developed new powerful weapon not available in Russian army

    Ukraine has developed a new powerful weapon, a self-propelled howitzer with a 155-mm caliber, which meets the NATO standards. Tests of this new weapon, have already begun, reported by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov during his visit to the Ukrainian Armed Forces training facility in Zhytomyr.

    “Its important characteristics include greater mobility, accuracy, range, and also high firing speed,” said Turchynov.

    According to him, the …

  • Turchynov: Ukraine to have an army of half-million reservists

    Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, said that the system of territorial defense which is being established in the country will make it possible to train 500,000 soldiers as reservists for the army.

    Speaking at a training ground in the Chernihiv province where territorial defense drills were taking place, the NSDC secretary said that the reserve training system developed by the General Staff should provide Ukraine with “a powerful half- …

  • Turchynov: Russia may begin large-scale offensive in Donbas in July

    In a comment to BBC, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov said that Russia could begin a large-scale offensive in the Donbas in July, after the World Cup.  

    Turchynov stated that this was evidenced by the increase in the number of attacks in the Donbas and the concentration of Russian troops on the border of Ukraine. "They use artillery, tanks and multiple rocket launcher systems prohibited by the Minsk agreements. The shelling on Ukrainian …

  • Turchynov: Ukraine will take back the entire Donbas first and then the Crimea

    Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (NSDC), stated in an interview with Gordonua.com that he is convinced Ukraine will first take back the entire Donbas region and then annexed Crimea.

    The NSDC Secretary stated: “Return of the occupied territories is the most important priority for our country. I am convinced that the entire Donbas will be taken back first and then the Crimea.”

    He emphasized that the issue surrounding Donbas and the Crimea is …

  • Turchynov: Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament a historic mistake

    Oleksandr Turchynov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), called Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament a historic error. He made a statement to this effect in an interview with the news outlet Gordon.

    “We had tertiary nuclear potential. We gave it up in exchange for the guarantees of our security and territorial integrity that were offered to us by the leading nuclear powers: the USA, Britain and Russia. However, Russia, to whom we transferred our nuclear weaponry, is …

  • Turchynov: 'heroes' claiming that Russian annexation of Crimea could have been prevented are lying

    Some recent claims asserting that the Russian annexation of the Crimea in 2014 could have been prevented are not true, according to statements made by the chairperson of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Oleksandr Turchynov, in his witness statements before the court where he was testifying in a high treason case against the former President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych.

    “Former Chief of General Staff, Volodymyr Zamana, misled the court when he stated that in February 2014 he …