KIEV, April 27. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky inspected the Armed Forces positions near the border with Crimea during his working trip to the Kherson Region, the presidential press service announced Tuesday.
"We are in the Kherson Region today," Zelensky said, as cited by the press service. "We see our positions, check the readiness of our fighters, our brigades from the standpoint of equipment. It is very important to see the state of our servicemen, our army - both technical and psychological, both at the front line and in reserve. It is important to understand that the fact of withdrawal of [Russian] forces does not mean that these forces will not return to our borders at any moment."
During his trip, Zelensky examined the operational situation and the system of fortifications near the Crimean border, including the dugouts and trenches, and talked to the servicemen on duty at the border. He visited the base camp near the settlement of Chaplinka, where he inspected the personnel accommodation. He also handed over night vision and thermal imaging devices to two military units.
On April 14, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced large-scale multi-stage anti-terrorist exercise in the Kherson Region. During the exercises, special attention was paid to the region’s coastal area and the Crimean border. Besides, on April 23, the Ukrainian Armed Forces Command announced air defense exercise at a proving ground in the region.
Earlier, Kiev and Western countries expressed concerns over Russian forces' buildup near the Ukrainian border. The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said at the time that the movement of Russian forces across Russian territory should not worry other countries because it does not threaten anyone. Last Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a decision to wrap up inspections in Southern and Western Military Districts, saying that all objectives had been completed. He ordered that forces involved in the exercises be returned to their permanent locations before May 1.