russia s largest joint exercises since the cold war. putin is sending hisbelarus. after contact forces have taken up positions on the ukraine border in the last 24 hours, they said the troop count will be heading close to 170,000. that s where it s heading in 2000 and one day. we are getting out front tonight in eastern ukraine. reporter: lying low over the ukrainian countryside this soviet-era military plane heads to the border with russia. we traveled here with senior ukrainian officials and military leaders to get a sense of the pood and preparations where russian troops are the closest, near the eastern dombas region. many of the ukrainian troops have been fighting russian-backed forces on this cold and desolate front.