KIEV, Sept. 16 – The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine expressed concern about the statement by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the deployment of "a proper and self-sufficient troop grouping in the Crimean direction."

"Having created a 'gray area' on the part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine, which de facto is not covered by the existing multilateral treaties in the field of arms control, the Russian Federation continues to increase its military presence in Crimea and to create there a main attack force with unclear objectives. The reasons for such military preparations stated by the Russian minister - an increase of foreign military presence near Russian borders and the aggravation of the situation in Ukraine – do not stand up to scrutiny, especially when an agreement on ceasefire in Donetsk and Luhansk regions has been reached," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Tuesday evening.