MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Ukraine is preparing for major provocations or the use of force to solve the Donbass problem, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told a meeting of the Russian Security Council on Monday.

"This suggests that major, serious provocations are prepared, or a force solution for Donbass at a minimum," Shoigu said, referring to changes in the deployment of military hardware and artillery, a change in the radio frequencies of Ukrainian units. "Apart from this, of course this is all that is related to the activity on the frontline. I mean the shelling," he added.

"The situation is extremely tense overall," he said. Since February 14, an active phase of bringing the troops to the very top of all levels of combat readiness has been seen, Shoigu stressed.