Oleksandr Turchynov does not exclude that in the nearest two months, the Russian-terrorist troops will try to aggravate the situation in Mariupil direction

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov does not exclude that in December 2016-January 2017, the Russian-terrorist troops will try to aggravate the situation in Mariupil direction.

In an exclusive interview with the "Interfax-Ukraine" information agency, Oleksandr Turchynov stated that over the last one and a half-two months, the most intensive activity of the enemy in terms of the number of shellings and the attempts by the secret subversive groups to penetrate can be observed in Mariupil direction, which can be compared by intensity to the situation in the Avdiivka industrial zone.

"Therefore, we cannot exclude that in December- January, before the inauguration of the new president of America, the Russians will, after all, try to significantly aggravate the situation by conducting local offensive operations. At the same time, Mariupil direction remains the most dangerous one", - Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine noted.

Mr. Turchynov explained that "Mariupil, with its port and plants, is the strategic aim for them" because "the deformed economic model of the occupied Donbas cannot function without financial subsidies from the Russian Federation". "And for the Russians, who now have serious economic problems, these subsidies become a heavy burden. To compensate for the losses, they need new objects for robbery, some semblance of a working economic model", - he said.

Upon that, Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine emphasized that Russia's expenditures on the maintenance of Luhansk and Donetsk are estimated at over $6 billion a year, of which $3 billion is the financial support of these occupied territories, and more than $3 billion are military spendings.

Answering the agency's questions, Oleksandr Turchynov informed that excluding the field strength of the two army corps formed on a mixed basis, the regular Russian military units up to 10 thousand people strong are currently placed in Donbas.