Russian troops are sent in large numbers to Belarus, and they are transferred to the Ukrainian border. At the same time, the Putin regime believes that the United States is instigating the war.
The Russian government is responding forcefully to the statements that US President Joe Biden talks about the conflict in Ukraine Wednesday evening.
Biden then threatened Russia with dire consequences, including severe sanctions, if it invaded Ukraine.
Biden also said that the human and military consequences of a Russian invasion would be significant for Russia, although he acknowledged that Russia would eventually emerge victorious from such an invasion of Ukraine, purely militarily.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov now says that these threats do not help reduce the growing tension over the conflict over Ukraine, and that Biden’s comments further destabilize the situation, according to Reuters news agency.
While Agence France-Presse wrote on Twitter that Russia condemns Biden’s “destabilizing” statements on Ukraine.
VG special: Fear in the trenches: Looks like a scene from World War I
This is happening now
– Biden warned in his speech Thursday night, if Russia does what it really can with its forces on the border, it will be a disaster for Russia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is also ready to impose “enormous” economic and financial sanctions.
We do not accept Russia’s attempts to divide Europe into different circles. “In the event of an attack, we are prepared,” she said during the opening of the World Economic Forum, Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, this happens on the weekend
- The foreign ministers of the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom meet in Berlin to discuss the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit neighboring Poland, where he will continue until Friday.
- He will also meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Anthony Blinken on Friday in Geneva for talks.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed the new round of summits between the United States and Russia. tast Thursday morning.
The meeting had already been announced by the US side.
According to the spokesman, the two sides will discuss the two demands that Russia made to the United States – a treaty between Russia and the United States that includes security guarantees and measures “to ensure the security of Russia and NATO members.”
Russia demands guarantees that Ukraine will not join the NATO defense alliance.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said there was “room” to discuss the first requirement, but that NATO’s request could not be discussed with Russia.
At the same time he said that he believed that Russia would eventually invade Ukraine, but Also warn of the consequences of this already happening.
background: Ukraine border crisis: This is what Putin will achieve
Sending troops to Belarus
Russian troops have arrived in Belarus in recent days to take part in a major maneuver. Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said earlier this week that combat aircraft and air defense units will also take part in the exercises.
Soldiers are being pulled out of bases in eastern Russia and, together with Belarusian forces, will practice responding to “external threats”. The exercise should take place from 10.-20. February, NTB reports.
It is not known how many Russian soldiers were sent to the country. Fomin says there is a need to pool the country’s military capacity in the West.
Did you not see the background? Read these two cases:
Russia has new demands on NATO: This is how Putin wants to change Europe
Information for VG: This is how NATO will respond to Russia
“A situation may arise that means that regional forces are not enough to ensure Russia’s security, and we must be ready to strengthen them,” Fomin was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
“We reached an agreement with Belarus on the need to engage the full military potential of our common defense,” he added.
The exercises will take place in the west of the country, near the borders with Ukraine and NATO members Poland and Lithuania.
If you need an explanation – here’s the background to the conflict:
attacks the nerves
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plays down the threat of a Russian invasion of the country, despite the fact that Russia has amassed significant forces along the border.
The dangers weren’t there for just one day, nor were they greater. In a video clip to People on Wednesday, he said the only thing that grew was the commotion around them.
– And he added: “It is not our country that is actively under attack, but your nerves, so that you feel a constant panic.”
At the same time, Russia’s threats do not appear to deter NATO; On the contrary, Western countries continue to strengthen their presence in countries bordering Russia and Ukraine:
- A State Department spokesperson said the United States had agreed to requests from the Baltic states to send American weapons to Ukraine.
- French President Emmanuel Macron said, on Wednesday, that France is ready to deploy forces in the countries of the eastern North Atlantic Treaty Organization, especially Romania.
The case is updated
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