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Ukraine’s military chief urges authorities to refrain from creating armed formations

As Ukraine’s military chief Ruslan Khomchak claimed, such actions might be exploited by Russia for its purposes

KIEV, April 17. /TASS/. Ukrainian Army Commander-in-Chief Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak urged authorities and local administrations to refrain from sowing panic over the Russian troop’s movements near the country’s borders and creating armed formations.

"… I request representatives of state authorities and local administrations to refrain from instigating the situation and sowing panic sentiments in society. I urge to refrain from shifting the emphasis by creating militarized formations that are not stipulated by law," says the statement posted on the Facebook of the Ukrainian General Staff.

As Ukraine’s military chief claimed, such actions might be exploited by Russia for its purposes.

The Ukrainian Army chief explained the Russian troop’s movements along the border with Ukraine by Moscow’s attempt "to test Kiev for endurance again." Khomchak assured that the Ukrainian General Staff was considering all possible scenarios and defining adequate ways of response.

Khomchak’s statement came in response to the desire of the mayors of some cities in western Ukraine to create self-defense detachments over Russia’s alleged aggression.

Western countries in recent days repeatedly voiced concern over the Ukrainian military’s speculations about a Russian troop buildup along the border with Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier the movement of Russian troops inside Russian territory should not worry other countries because it did not threaten them in any way whatsoever. Also, he stressed that the events in Donbass were an intra-Ukrainian conflict in which Russian forces had never been involved.

The situation in Donbass exacerbated at the end of February, with exchanges of gunfire, including those involving mortars and grenade launchers, registered every day. The warring parties blamed each other for the surge in tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video conference with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on March 30. In particular, he expressed concern that Kiev had destabilized the situation in Donbass.

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