24.12.2021, 10:35
NATO Exercises in Ukraine are Anti-Russian, Foreign Ministry Said
Source: OREANDA-NEWS
OREANDA-NEWS. All NATO exercises in Ukraine are anti-Russian, said Alexei Polishchuk, director of the Second Department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry, in an interview with RIA Novosti.
He noted that in 2021, seven joint maneuvers of Kiev and the countries of the alliance took place on the territory of Ukraine, including the largest Defender Europe in a quarter of a century. According to Polishchuk, in 2022 there will be nine maneuvers, and the number of military personnel involved in them will almost double compared to 2021 - up to 64 thousand, the number of aircraft and helicopters involved will more than triple - to 361, warships - almost 4 times - up to 256.
"The scale, territorial coverage and duration of joint exercises between Ukraine and NATO countries are growing ... All exercises are connected by one concept and have an anti-Russian orientation," Polishchuk said.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in December 2014 revised two laws, deciding to abandon the non-aligned status of the state. Later, in February 2019, the Ukrainian parliament approved amendments to the constitution, choosing and approving a course for the country's further development with an eye to the EU and NATO. Ukraine has become the sixth country to have the status of an enhanced NATO partner. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said earlier that in order to join the alliance, Ukraine will need to fulfill many conditions, the implementation of which will take a lot of time. Experts believe that Kiev's prospects for NATO membership are very remote, not earlier than 20 years from now.
He noted that in 2021, seven joint maneuvers of Kiev and the countries of the alliance took place on the territory of Ukraine, including the largest Defender Europe in a quarter of a century. According to Polishchuk, in 2022 there will be nine maneuvers, and the number of military personnel involved in them will almost double compared to 2021 - up to 64 thousand, the number of aircraft and helicopters involved will more than triple - to 361, warships - almost 4 times - up to 256.
"The scale, territorial coverage and duration of joint exercises between Ukraine and NATO countries are growing ... All exercises are connected by one concept and have an anti-Russian orientation," Polishchuk said.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in December 2014 revised two laws, deciding to abandon the non-aligned status of the state. Later, in February 2019, the Ukrainian parliament approved amendments to the constitution, choosing and approving a course for the country's further development with an eye to the EU and NATO. Ukraine has become the sixth country to have the status of an enhanced NATO partner. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said earlier that in order to join the alliance, Ukraine will need to fulfill many conditions, the implementation of which will take a lot of time. Experts believe that Kiev's prospects for NATO membership are very remote, not earlier than 20 years from now.
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