Ukraine military on full combat alert: Kiev
Iran Press TV
Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:8PM GMT
Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov says the country's military is on full combat alert against a possible invasion by Russian troops massed on the border.
Turchynov made the comments on Wednesday during a ministerial meeting in the capital, Kiev.
'Our armed forces are on full combat alert,' said Turchynov, adding, 'The threat of Russia starting a war against mainland Ukraine is real.'
The comments by the interim president come as Ukraine's army and police appear to be making little progress in stopping pro-Russians in the east.
Last month, Russia deployed an estimated 40,000 troops to its border with Ukraine.
This is while pro-Russian forces seized eastern Ukrainian city of Horlivka on Wednesday after taking control of the city council building and the police headquarters.
The pro-Russian forces now control government buildings in about a dozen cities in eastern Ukraine, including Donetsk, Slavyansk, Lugansk and Kramatorsk.
On April 23, the Kiev government re-launched its controversial "anti-terrorist operations" in the eastern and southern regions in a bid to root out the pro-Russian demonstrations.
Pro-Russia protests gained momentum in Ukraine after Crimea declared independence from the former Soviet state and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum in March.
CAH/AB/SS
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