The Russia-Belarus Zapad-2017 exercise poses a threat to NATO countries and the nations of the post-Soviet world, Ukraine’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff and Commander-in-Chief Viktor Muzhenko said.
“We are evaluating various scenarios of the adversary’s actions, including offensive action,” the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s press service quoted Muzhenko as saying.
The contents of the events planned during the Zapad-2017 exercise and the composition of forces involved makes it possible for Russia to deploy powerful offensive taskforces in both the southwestern and western strategic vectors and create conditions for their lasting employment, Muzhenko said.
This is an objective precondition of an emergence of a military threat of large-scale Russian armed aggression both against Ukraine and NATO countries, he said.
“As a pretext for the aggression, taking into account the unpredictability of the Russian leadership, may use high-profile provocations in regions of Ukraine or the Baltic States, citing alleged infringements of the rights and freedoms of Russian-speaking residents and a threat to their security,” Muzhenko said.
The Russia-Belarus Zapad-2017 strategic maneuvers will be held on September 14-20.
