Russia deploys about 53,000 troops along Ukrainian border – Turchynov

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has said that the number of Russia military personnel deployed along the border with Ukraine has been around 50,000 for the past six months.

"Russian troops remain concentrated along the joint border, their numbers haven't changed for six months – these are around fifty battalion [sized] tactical groups and the size of this military formation has been around 53,000 people," Turchynov said on the Left Bank talk show, hosted by journalist Sonia Koshkina.

He said that the Russian military has also concentrated its forces in the occupied territories.

"They set up two corps numbering about 33,000 servicemen in the occupied territory. The commanding officers of these forces who lead the corps, headquarters, battalions, companies, and platoons are Russian, professional military [soldiers]. And the locals are used as common soldiers, but they make up no more than 40%," Turchynov said.

In addition, a reserve force of around 9,000 Russian soldiers has been set up in order to response if the situation deteriorates, he said.

Turchynov also said that Russia was building pontoon crossings across the border.