MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. There exists a certain risk of permanent escalation of the conflict in the southeast of Ukraine against a backdrop of continuing weapons supplies to Kiev from its Western partners, the chief of the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s United Staff, Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov, told a news briefing on Thursday.
He pointed out that adjustment to NATO standards was a "characteristic indicator" of the Western influence on the posture and development of the Ukrainian armed forces.
"For the implementation of the current plans active financial and consultative assistance is being used and contracts for the supply of weapons and other military hardware are being concluded. Since January 2022, the United States has delivered about 650 tonnes of ammunition and various military products," Sidorov said. "Against this background the armed conflict in southeastern Ukraine continues to cause a significant influence on the condition of regional security in the light of the constant threat of its escalation."
Sidorov pointed out that foreign military personnel and representatives of US and European private military companies were being deployed to Ukraine, infrastructure facilities were being used actively, and "combat and special aircraft, including strategic bombers and reconnaissance planes, are carrying out systematic flights."
The chief of the CSTO United Staff drew attention to the law on national resistance, passed by the authorities in Kiev, as well as President Vladimir Zelensky’s decree of February 1 on strengthening the country’s defenses, which envisages an increase in the maximum strength of the Ukrainian armed forces by 100,000 over a period of three years and creation of an extra 20 brigades.
"In 2022, defense and security spending is to be increased by more than 30%," he recalled. "All this indicates that the country’s leadership has no wish to settle the conflict in the southeast by peaceful means."