The Kremlin's latest statements out Friday amid the potential new Ukraine crisis which has seen a serious flare-up in fighting in the Donbass region, along with what appears to be far bigger-than-usual troop movements on Russia's side of the border, has raised the stakes further.
Russia has vowed it will take "extra measures to ensure its own security" should it observe any deployment of NATO troops inside Ukraine, the Kremlin statement said Friday according to Reuters.
It firmly warned against any potential looming NATO troop movements following Brussels voicing concern the day prior over the widespread reports and videos purporting to show a significant Russian build-up of forces along Ukraine's eastern border.
Reuters reports Russia's Friday statement and "warning" as follows:
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that the situation at the contact line in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatist forces was quite frightening and that multiple "provocations" were taking place there.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Taran, and "condemned recent escalations of Russian aggressive and provocative actions in eastern Ukraine," the Pentagon said.
"Our rhetoric [over Donbass] is absolutely constructive," Peskov said in response to journalists' questions. "We do not indulge in wishful thinking. Regrettably, the realities along the engagement line are rather frightening. Provocations by the Ukrainian armed forces do take place. They are not casual. There have been many of them."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the Russian troop movements across the border, calling the situation "muscle-flexing" likely to lead to "provocations" for which Ukraine's army is "ready"...
It was exactly a week ago that fighting in Donetsk grabbed international headlines once again when four Ukrainian national troops were killed, which Kiev promptly blamed on Russia-backed separatists. However, the Donetsk People’s Republic claimed it wasn't the result of a direct exchange of fire, but due to inspecting a minefield.
Ukraine's parliament followed by announcing a sharp "escalation" in the east - a contested region which has seen 14,000 deaths going back to 2014, and the country's military leadership put the armed forces on high alert.
This also as Russian troops and armor were spotted headed into the Crimea and Ukraine's east border region, however, Moscow brushed off the concerns while saying it's routine to transfer forces within one's own borders and sovereign territory.
Days later on Wednesday the US European Command (EUCOM) issued a notification of a raised 'threat level' in Europe. The designation is currently officially raised to one of "potential imminent crisis" due to concerns over Eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile intense shelling on the ground in Donetsk has continued this week, with all signs pointing to further escalation and intensity in fighting...
And on Thursday an unnamed EU diplomat was cited in Reuters as speculating the perceived build-up in Russian forces is ultimately about Russia's posturing to gain leverage with the new Biden administration - which so far hasn't had much of a big geopolitical challenge.
"Partly, it is the usual tactics, turning up and down the conflict to create instability, to show that Russia is a key player," the EU diplomat said. "We cannot exclude that Biden’s presidency is part of the Russian calculus, that it’s time for Moscow to show a bit of muscle."
US and NATO meet to discuss ‘Russia’s recent large-scale military activities’ near Ukraine
The United States and European allies are “discussing concerns” about Russia’s reported military buildup on the border of Ukraine, a senior State Department official said in a warning to Moscow.
“We’re absolutely concerned by recent escalations of Russian aggressive and provocative actions in eastern Ukraine, including violations of the July 2020 ceasefire,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Thursday. “Additionally, we are aware of Ukrainian military reports concerning Russian troop movements on Ukraine’s borders. We are discussing our concerns about that increase in tensions and ceasefire violations and regional tensions with NATO allies.”
Price blamed Russia for the deaths of four Ukrainian soldiers last week, whereas Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov raised the specter of “new war” in eastern Ukraine due to ceasefire violations that Moscow attributes to Ukrainian forces. Russian officials deny invading Ukraine, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s previous admission that he had ordered such an operation, and maintain that Ukrainian officials need not fear the movement of Russian troops to the Ukrainian border. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]
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