Oleksandr Turchynov: Russia is waging a hybrid war not only against Ukraine, but also against Europe and Turkey

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov stresses that the Russian Federation is waging a hybrid war not only against Ukraine, but also against Europe and Turkey.

Oleksandr Turchynov reminded that during the investigation of the terrorist attack in Istanbul - where 10 people were killed, at least eight citizens of Germany among them, and 15 people were seriously injured - the Turkish secret services detained three Russian citizens suspected of involvement in the organization of this crime and in ties with ISIS.

"Recently, more and more information has emerged concerning the active involvement of Russian citizens in the activities of ISIS terrorist organization and regarding the impact of the Russian secret services on its activities, - NSDC Secretary noted. - Apart from that, the analysis of airstrikes conducted by the Russian air force in Syria indicates the destruction not of the ISIS military bases, in the first place, but of the peaceful regional infrastructure facilities such as hospitals, bakeries, silos, enterprises, residential buildings".

Oleksandr Turchynov stated that airstrikes of the Russian air force caused a humanitarian disaster in the region. "The permanent danger to life, the impossibility of decent existence bring about millions of migratory waves directed to Turkey and Europe. As a result, the level of the terrorist threat and socio-economic instability increase in these countries", - he said.

"That is why one can conclude that in 2016 Russia continues to wage a hybrid war not only against Ukraine, but also against the EU and Turkey. This is done to weaken the positions of these states and to force them to cooperation with Russia on its terms of "fight against terrorism", - NSDC Secretary noticed.

Oleksandr Turchynov emphasized that "the Kremlin does not step back from its aggressive intentions regarding Ukraine". In this context, he recalled the statement of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergiy Shoigu concerning the intentions to strengthen the military presence of Russia in the western direction, in particular, with respect to the creation of new military bases and proving grounds, and forming of new fighting units of the Russian Armed Forces.

"Those threats have already started to be implemented, not elsewhere, but along the Ukrainian border!", - NSDC Secretary highlighted. As an example, he provided the extension of the 262-nd military base of the Russian Federation near Boguchar settlement in Voronezh region, within the bounds of which new military facilities are under construction. The units of the 9-th separate motorized rifle brigade from the Nizhny Novgorod region have already started to relocate there, and an additional separate tank brigade is planned to be located there.

"Near Valuiki settlement in the Belgorod region (which is 25 km from the state border of Ukraine), - Oleksandr Turchynov said, - the construction of a military object has been started with a view to deploying numerous armored combat units of the Russian Armed Forces". According to him, near "Kadamovskiy" (Rostov region) proving ground a military town is being built to accommodate 33-th separate motorized rifle brigade, which is relocating from Maikop city (Republic of Adygea) to the Ukrainian border.

"Moreover, in order to coordinate the military units located on the Ukrainian border, the command staff of the 20-th army of the Western military district previously located in Mulino city, Moscow region, was relocated to the city of Voronezh. Russian military potential in the occupied Crimea is increasing as well. Russian military-transport aircraft, SU-27 fighters and armed helicopters were redeployed to the air base in Bobruisk (Belarus) which is also located close to the Ukrainian border", - Oleksandr Turchynov added.

"All this completely disavows the statements of the Russian leadership concerning de-escalation of military confrontation and peaceful resolution of military conflicts created by it", - NSDC Secretary concluded.