Putin: Russia is ready to return military ships and aircraft from the Crimea to Ukraine
At a meeting with the chief editors of print media and news agencies in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced his readiness to transfer the military equipment left in the Crimea after the annexation of the peninsula back to Ukraine, Interfax reports.
"The Ukrainian side has repeatedly raised the issue of the return of military equipment from the Crimea. We are ready to continue with this process; we are ready to hand over military ships to Ukraine, aviation equipment, armored vehicles," said Putin.
According to the Russian President, the matter involves dozens of warships and dozens of aircraft.
At the same time, he said that Ukrainian technology "is in a sorry state."
"But it's not our business anymore. It [Ukraine] has practically been that way for all those years [as] nothing, of course, was serviced," Putin said.
"As for the ships, I think it would be better if the Ukrainian servicemen just come and take them. We are ready to help transport them to Odessa ... We are also ready to invite the Ukrainian military to participate in the disposal of ammunition," added the Russian president.