If Russia starts using its troops in Donbas more actively, Kyiv will impose martial law

Ukraine will have to declare martial law and mobilize as many soldiers as possible if Russia starts using its forces in Donbas more actively, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has said.

"I want to say that if Russia disrupts the implementation of the Minsk agreements (which sadly it is currently doing), naturally, we will act according to the challenges that our country is facing. If there is more active use of Russian troops, obviously, we will have to declare martial law and a more powerful mobilization of the full potential that exists in the country," he told reporters at a training range in Kyiv region on Friday.

Turchynov said that the situation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone is very tense, Russian-terrorists are gathering near the line of contact, and the number of attacks on the Ukrainian positions is increasing.

All this indicates that Russia intends to disrupt the Minsk agreements and is preparing for a major offensive, Turchynov said.

"That's why we are preparing not only to repel an attack, but also to hold a counter-offensive in case of an attack," he said, adding that Ukraine is ready to repulse the enemy's offensive.

"We see how the dynamics of the attacks on our positions is increasing. There were 153 attacks yesterday. This number of attacks on our positions in effect fits active military action," Turchynov said.

"We are now on active defense in the anti-terrorist operation sector, we are fulfilling all the requirements of the Minsk protocol, we have withdrawn heavy weapons and artillery to the distance envisaged in the protocol. However, we will actively react and appropriately respond in the event of any provocations," he said.

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