Anticipation Of Attack, Ukraine Sends Tanks And Artillery To Crimean Border

Ukrainian tanks in the border area. (Wikimedia Commons/OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine)

JAKARTA - Ukraine's military announced it is deploying tanks and artillery near russia's annexed Crimean border Wednesday, April 14.

The deployment of tanks and artillery came a day after United States President Joe Biden, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the increase in Russian troops near eastern Ukraine and in Crimea.

The Ukrainian military said the deployment of tanks and artillery was part of an exercise to repel tanks and infantry forces trying to break through its defenses.

In a video released by the Ukrainian military, tanks are seen maneuvering in formation, as well as army personnel practicing firing artillery.

Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday Moscow's military development near Ukraine was part of a massive exercise, intended to test combat readiness and respond to what he called threatening military action by NATO.

Shoigu said that the exercise, which is planned to be held for three weeks, will be completed in the next two weeks. Shoigu said NATO has deployed 40,000 troops and 15,000 military equipment near Russia's borders, mainly in the Black Sea and Baltic regions. This is disputed by NATO.

For the record, Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Meanwhile, fighting has escalated in recent weeks in eastern Ukraine, where government forces are battling Russian-backed separatists in a seven-year conflict that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people.