The Ukrainian armed forces have been put on combat alert, Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Chairman and interim President Oleksandr Turchynov said.

"I am once again addressing the real danger of the start of a continental war against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Our armed forces have been put on full combat alert," Turchynov said at a conference with the heads of regional administrations in Kiev on Wednesday.

Turchynov urged all Ukrainian regions to join in the country's defense. "We have issued an order on forming a territorial defense battalion in each region," he said.

"We should have the opportunity to redeploy these units in a mobile fashion for supporting other regions if such a danger emerges," he said.

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