Russia warns West in opposition to sending troops to again Ukraine

Russia on Friday warned NATO in opposition to sending troops to japanese Ukraine after Kyiv accused Moscow of build up a army presence on its border.
The Interfax information company cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that any deployment of NATO troops would “undoubtedly lead to further tensions” and that the Russian facet would then “have to take additional measures to ensure their security,” with out giving specifics.
Peskov performed down Russian troop actions close to the joint border, saying that “Russia is not threatening anyone.”
War video games close to borderHis feedback got here because the Russian army introduced Friday it could maintain army workouts near the border, involving greater than 15,000 troops, in addition to digital warfare and air protection models.
Peskov was responding to a warning to Moscow from Washington in opposition to “intimidating” Ukraine after US forces in Europe raised their alert standing following the “recent escalations of Russian aggression.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday spoke together with his Ukrainian counterpart and pledged to face by Kyiv within the occasion of additional Russian hostility.
Austin’s remarks had been backed up by US President Joe Biden in a cellphone name with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday.
“President Biden affirmed the United States’ unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression in the Donbas and Crimea,” a White House assertion stated following the decision.
Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba agreed Friday that “de-escalation is now crucial in order not to put at risk the ceasefire,” in line with a German Foreign Ministry assertion on Twitter following their dialog.
Weeks of renewed frontline clashes have shredded a ceasefire and raised fears of an escalation of the simmering battle within the japanese Donetsk and Lugansk areas.
The warfare broke out in 2014 following a change of presidency in Kyiv and Moscow’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula and has claimed greater than 13,000 lives, in line with the United Nations.
Looming escalationJust per week in the past, 4 Ukrainian troopers had been killed within the battle zone. While the deaths had been initially reported as a mortar assault by pro-Russian separatists, later, the Ukrainian army stated that snipers had shot the troops within the again.
The newest escalation prompted a video name between German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.
In the Kremlin’s readout of the decision, Putin positioned the blame on Ukraine and urged Kyiv to enter into direct dialogue with native separatist forces.