Int'l military assistance for Ukraine 'optimistic': defense minister

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Friday said that the international military assistance to his country is "optimistic," the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency reported.

"I cannot tell the exact amount of aid received, but I can say that it is more optimistic than the media report," Reznikov told a parliament meeting.

Ukraine has already received three batches of military assistance from the U.S. aid package worth 200 million U.S. dollars and anti-tank weapons from Britain, Reznikov said, adding that Kiev is also waiting for support from Baltic countries, Canada and Denmark.

He disclosed that currently, the number of modern anti-tank weapons possessed by the Ukrainian army "exceeds significantly the number of potential targets."

The minister added that Ukraine has ratified a deal with the United Kingdom to get a loan worth 1.7 billion pounds (about 2.28 billion U.S. dollars), which would pave the way for the two countries to jointly produce missile boats and install new naval infrastructure in Ukraine.

Besides, Reznikov said that a total of 150 battalions of territorial defense have been already created in Ukraine to boost the country's security.

Ukraine is ramping up its defense capabilities amid the escalating tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border.

Since November, Kiev and some Western countries have accused Russia of assembling heavy troops near the Ukrainian border with a possible intention of "invasion."

Denying any intention to attack any country, Russia said it has the right to mobilize troops within its borders to defend its territory, as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's increasing military activities near Russia's borders constitute a threat to Russia's border security.