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Ukraine’s General Staff notifies about R&D-oriented air force drills in southern Ukraine

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the air firing exercises will be held "exclusively in Ukraine’s airspace"

KIEV, November 25. /TASS/. Ukraine’s General Staff on Friday announced plans of R&D-oriented air force exercises in the country’s southern areas.

"In a period from December 1 to 2, 2016, R&D-oriented air force drills will be held in the southern part of Ukraine. It is planned to conduct air firing drills," the General Staff’s press service said.

"The Ukrainian air force has issued an aviation notification (NOTAM, or Notice To AirMen) to inform providers of aviation services of various states, airlines and crews about possible dangers of the use of the airspace during the above mentioned air firing drills," the General Staff said.

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the air firing exercises will be held "exclusively in Ukraine’s airspace, over the open sea and will be conducted in strict compliance with international law."

Earlier on Friday Russia’s aviation watchdog Rosaviatsiya said that Ukraine had made a unilateral decision to conduct missile-firing drills in the Crimea area. According to Rosaviatsia, this would be a violation of international agreements.

Rosaviatsia also said that on November 24, Ukraine had issued an aviation notification on "activating dangerous zones at all flight levels in view of missile firing exercises scheduled for December 1 and 2." The first "dangerous zone" is to be set up on December 1 and 2 from 09:00 to 19:00 Moscow time (6 am to 4 pm GMT) while the second is planned to be activated on December 1 from 12:30 to 14:30 Moscow time (9:30 am to 11:30 am GMT) and on December 2 from 11:00 to 15:00 Moscow time (8 am to 12 pm GMT).