"No easy walk for Russia": Danilov advocates arming territorial defense forces

That’s according to Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, who spoke with Apostrophe TV, Ukrinform reports.

“The law prescribes powers and responsibilities of local governments, heads of regional and district state administrations. This is a very detailed law that had long been in the making, also being the subject of great debate. Today, I believe that the law is more or less perfect in order to start addressing the issue," Danilov said, adding that territorial defense forces should be armed efficiently to allow them to perform their immediate functions.

"Today we live in a modern world, and weapons that may be small in size are very significant in terms of their effect. And now to say that there must be some kind of heavy equipment, etc ... Today there is an understanding that in the modern world, this isn’t how success is measured," Danilov added.

According to the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, territorial defense units will represent an effective force in the event of a Russian military incursion.

"If this happens, all relevant agencies will immediately stand up to defend our country. And if someone thinks that it will be an easy walk, believe me, it won’t be the case,” the senior security official underlined.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, from January 1, 2022, the North Regional Directorate of the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be formed in Chernihiv to cover a total of six regions.

According to the public relations service of the North Operational Command, the military land zone of the North Regional Directorate of the Territorial Defense Forces will include the city of Kyiv and six regions: Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv. A defense force brigade will be formed in each of them, while the number of battalions will be in line with that of districts formed as part of the administrative reform (plus another battalion in the regional center).

The forces are scheduled to be deployed by January 15, 2022.

To sign a contract for active military service with a territorial defense unit, applicants should contact their respective local enlistment and social support center.

im