Ukraine Plans More Missile Launches, Aircraft Tests near Crimea

Local Editor

Kiev intends to carry out additional missile and aircraft exercises near Crimea on Friday despite Moscow's protest.

The Ukrainian military plans additional missile launches and aircraft exercises on aerial targets in the country's south on the second day of planned two-day drills, the Ukrainian Air Force said Friday.

"Several missile launches and aircraft tests on air targets are planned today," Air Command South spokesman Volodymyr Kryzhanovskiy told Ukraine's 112 broadcaster.

The spokesman claimed that Thursday's missile and S-300 air defense system drills went according to plan, adding that the exercises are expected to resume when weather conditions improve.

An exhibition missile launch from the Tochka-U tactical complex.

Moscow repeatedly called Kiev's missile launches in the Black Sea a threat to the safety of Russian civilian flights to Crimea and a provocation.

Russian aviation authorities also informed the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO] about the tests, so far without a response.

The Russian Defense Ministry summoned Ukraine's defense attaché last week to serve a note protesting Kiev illegally restricting the use of airspace over the Black Sea during the December 1-2 missile firing drills near Crimea.

The Ukrainian Air Force's Air Command South said Thursday that the missile firings' nearest approach point to the Crimean peninsula does not exceed 18.6 miles.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team