РНБОУ National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

Putin moved to the public blackmail of Ukraine – Oleksandr Turchynov

Putin moved to the public blackmail of Ukraine, having stated that shellings in Donbas would not stop until the Constitution of our state was changed and the terrorists were amnestied. This was said by NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov in his commentary.

"Having taken responsibility for the violation of the ceasefire and of the Minsk agreements, Putin publicly threatened Ukraine with the continuation of the military provocations until the Moscow scenario of the dismemberment of Ukraine was not realized", - Mr. Turchynov stated.

According to him, in doing so, Moscow demonstrated that it is not going to fulfill the Minsk peace agreements, the first provisions of which are the ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops from our territory and the restoration of Ukrainian control over the eastern border.

"Instead, Putin plans to further shed Ukrainian blood, destroying the independence of Ukraine. This is a cynical public position, which is not even hidden by the Moscow leaders", - NSDC Secretary stressed, adding that after such statements there should not remain any illusions about Russia's voluntary withdrawal from the occupied territories and cessation of the military aggression against Ukraine.

Oleksandr Turchynov also underlined that the answer to such Russia's position should be the strengthening of the defense capabilities of our state. "We have to provide our army with the necessary weapons and resources and eventually decide on the filling of the defense budget instead of empty debates in the Parliament", - NSDC Secretary said, expressing hope that "our strategic allies are also able to translate from Russian Putin's unambiguous threats".