Ukrainian military pray Russia doesn't strike first as NATO holds Saber Strike drills

Russia has launched large-scale military drills in south-western and western strategic directions. Tactical flight training drills take place in the south of Russia and in the Crimea with the participation of air defence units and about 100 helicopters and aircraft of the Southern Military District.

In the Pskov region, an airborne assault regiment of the 76th Airborne Division was scrambled. All exercises are directly related to military threats that have appeared at the borders of the Russian Federation lately.

It goes about NATO's Saber Strike exercises in the Baltic States. As Dmitry Peskov, Putin's official spokesman said, Russia is taking "all necessary security measures for its borders through relevant departments."

All the tasks of the exercises will be implemented "taking into account the situation developing in the Baltic countries in connection with Saber Strike-2018 manoeuvres," Lieutenant-General Yuri Netkachev said.

Tactical flight training events will be held in light of the current situation in the Donbass. The exercise will be conducted at combined naval and aviation range grounds in the Rostov region, the Krasnodar Territory and in the Republic of Crimea.

Ukraine closed three sections of the Azov Sea before September 1. Experts noted in this regard that the borders in the Sea of Azov were not determined, while its northern coast remains an armed conflict area, where Ukraine is not entitled to close the sea zone for any type of military exercises.

Such actions look like preparations for real combat actions. Such decisions, Russian military officials said, are likely to be related to Kiev's possible plans to launch a large military operation in the Donbass and in the Crimea.

Alexander Zakharchenko, the head of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk, said that he was ready to open fire should Kiev's military exercises in the area of the Sea of Azov pose a threat to the breakaway republic.

It stands the reason that Ukraine's Navy is absolutely powerless to resist the Russian Navy. Therefore, one may assume that large-scale actions of the armed forces in the South-Eastern Military District are to the reflection of a possible attack of a more powerful enemy.

The Ukrainian military realise their own level too. Vladimir Shilov, ex-commander of the 5th company of Dnepr -1 battalion, said that "this is not 2014, but at the same time nothing has changed in the army much." "There's a Soviet madhouse in the army, because old officers have returned," he added. "The volunteer movement was ruined, although it would have been a lot better with it. If people had the opportunity to terminate their contracts, 50% would instantly leave the military. All in all, everything is bad. If Russia, God forbid, makes a move, everything will be pretty crappy," he added.

Also read: What Russian army can do to Ukraine in case of war