Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Moscow of massing troops on its border

Following movements of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, considered by Kiev as « provocations », the United States warns Russia against any attempt « of intimidation ».

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday accused Russia of building up troops on its border, Washington warning Moscow against any attempt to « intimidate » Ukraine.

While Ukrainian and American officials have reported in recent days of Russian troop movements near the Ukrainian border, the Kremlin stressed that Russia is moving its troops as it sees fit, but asserted that Kiev and the West should not. not « worry » about these movements.

« The show of force in the form of military exercises and possible provocations along the border is the traditional occupation of Russia, » the Ukrainian president said in a statement.

For his part, the spokesman for American diplomacy Ned Price warned Moscow against « any aggressive act aimed at intimidating or threatening » Ukraine, saying he was « concerned » by the « recent escalations of aggressive and provocative acts ”by Russia.

Earlier today, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that « Russia is moving its armed forces to its territory as it sees fit », adding that « this does not represent a threat to anyone and should not worry anyone » .

Ukrainians and Americans have reported recent movements of Russian troops in Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014, and on the Russian-Ukrainian border near territories controlled by pro-Russian separatists. After a record truce in the second half of 2020, the war in eastern Ukraine has seen an increase in clashes since January. Both sides blame each other for the escalation.

Twenty Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 57 wounded since the start of the year, President Zelensky said Thursday, as Kiev reported 50 soldiers killed in the whole of 2020. A soldier was wounded again on Thursday, according to the ‘army.

Ukrainian military intelligence on Thursday accused Moscow of preparing « the entry » of its « regular armed forces » into the separatist territories « on the grounds of protecting » the inhabitants, to whom Russia has distributed hundreds of thousands of its passports. . Russian troops could « try to penetrate further into Ukrainian territory, » added the service.

« The Russians are working on the compatibility of their army » with the separatist troops, said a senior Ukrainian official on condition of anonymity: « Their military units will be ready to attack from mid-April. »

An official of the Ukrainian presidency, Roman Machovets, suggested during a meeting with the NATO representative in Ukraine to organize military maneuvers and joint air patrols to « stabilize the situation in the region ».

Witnessing growing concern from the West, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday called his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Tara and Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kouleba spoke with his Canadian counterpart Marc Garneau.

The day before, the Chief of Staff of the American Armed Forces, General Mark Milley, had already spoken with the Russian Chief of Staff Valeri Gerassimov, and with the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ruslan Khomtchak.

The latter denounced Tuesday « a threat to Ukrainian military security », asserting that the separatists numbered 28,000 combatants and « more than 2,000 Russian military instructors and advisers ».

Moscow, which blames the outbreak of violence in eastern Ukraine on authorities in Kiev, has always denied having had any men or weapons on the ground.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, said this week that US forces in Europe had been placed in a phase of heightened surveillance against a « potential imminent crisis » and that the United States had raised tensions in Ukraine with its NATO partners.

The war in Ukraine, which claimed more than 13,000 lives, began in 2014 after pro-Westerners came to power in Kiev, which was followed by Moscow’s annexation of Crimea.

An official of the Ukrainian presidency, Roman Machovets, suggested during a meeting with the NATO representative in Ukraine to organize military maneuvers and joint air patrols to « stabilize the situation in the region ».

Witnessing growing concern from the West, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday called his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Tara and Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kouleba spoke with his Canadian counterpart Marc Garneau.

The day before, the Chief of Staff of the American Armed Forces, General Mark Milley, had already spoken with the Russian Chief of Staff Valeri Gerassimov, and with the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ruslan Khomtchak.

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Gabriel MIHAI

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