Kiev says all movements of troops in Dnipropetrovsk Region due to drills

KIEV, April 29. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said that regular airborne units are conducting exercises in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Region and this is the sole reason behind all movements of military forces in the area.

Members of the ultra-right paramilitary group Right Sector, outlawed in Russia, said on Tuesday their base in the Dnipropetrovsk Region had been surrounded by regular army units, including the 25th and 95th paratroop brigades.

The Right Sector said the authorities are planning a large-scale provocation against the volunteers and urged their "brothers in all other Ukrainian volunteer movements to gather in front of the presidential administration building on April 29."

"Airborne troops' movements in the Dnipropetrovsk Region are related to exercises," the Defense Ministry said. "All statements being spread in the Internet regarding the situation in the Dnipropetrovsk Region are expected to raise tensions in society and prove attempts at armed provocations in the territory of Ukraine on the eve of May holidays," the Defense Ministry said.

In the evening of April 28 and in the morning of April 29 there were telephone conversations between the chief of the General Staff, Viktor Muzhenok and leader of the extremist organization Dmytro Yarosh. "The two men discussed a variety of issues, including the implementation of previous agreements regarding cooperation between and integration of the volunteer paramilitary force with the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the General Staff said. "All armed units in Ukrainian territory must be legitimate and subordinate to the Armed Forces or other government agencies.".