Turchynov: Prearrangement of Russian aggression started 10 years ago

Prearrangement of Russian aggression against Ukraine that resulted in the annexation of the Crimea and war at the Donbas region, started 10 years ago after the victory of the Orange Revolution, said Olexander Turchynov, Secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, during the 8th Kyiv Security Forum organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

“Both the annexation of the Crimea and war at the East of Ukraine – this is not some kind of improvisation. It was arranged systematically and persistently. According to our intelligence data, preparation of aggression against Ukraine began 10 years ago, after the Orange Revolution, when Russia realized that Ukraine can escape from its iron fist,” – he said.

However, the NSDC Secretary underscored that Russian president Putin failed to perform “the blitz-krig that he successfully carried out in the Crimea”. Russia managed to annex the Crimea because at the beginning of the last year Ukraine’s defense system was completely destroyed. “But in a very short time we managed to restore the efficiency of our army, to begin the reformation of security agencies, and Putin’s plans for a rapid victory in the East were destroyed,” – said O.Turchynov.

He also stressed that Ukraine is now taking all measures to implement the peace agreements, but the opposing side does not follow the provisions thereof. “There was no day without Russian terrorist units firing positions of Ukraine. Our positions were fired more than 5000 times after the Minsk arrangements were signed” – the NSDC Secretary said.

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The annual international event ‘Kyiv Security Forum’, established by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007 is a platform for discussion of the most pressing issues concerning the security in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum is aimed at promoting security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea Region, raising awareness of the development of security among key players and strengthening the role of independent and non-governmental actors in solving security problems in Europe.