Ukraine to declare martial law if Russia starts using its troops in Donbas more actively, NSDC secretary says

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov expects imposition of martial law in case of Russian troops' advance in the ATO area.

He told journalists at a training ground in Kyiv region on Friday, Censor.NET informs citing Interfax-Ukraine.

"I want to say that if Russia disrupts the implementation of the Minsk agreements (which it is currently making every effort to do), 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 available in the country," Oleksandr Turchynov said.

"The number of attacks that have been recently recorded evidences that Russia is actually ready to disrupt the Minsk accords and is preparing major offensive," Ukrainski Novyny reports citing the NSDC secretary.

Turchynov stressed that the Ukrainian Army created active defenses and was ready to launch counteroffensive. He also said that the ATO forces were placed on high alert before the Independence Day due to intelligence on possible provocations on the part of Russia.