Russia threatens invasion of Ukraine?
The Biden administration has been warning about a Russian incursion into Ukraine for weeks. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a virtual meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. “If Russia decides to pursue confrontation, there will be serious consequences,” Secretary Blinken said at the start of a 40-minute meeting.
Now, the Washington Post is reporting specifics of the buildup of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine, identifying four areas of troop concentrations and the potential for Moscow to mass up to 175,000 troops for an offensive that could come as soon as early 2022.
The unclassified U.S. intelligence document obtained by The Post, which includes satellite photos, shows Russian forces massing in four locations. Currently, 50 battlefield tactical groups are deployed, along with “newly arrived” tanks and artillery, according to the document.
While Ukrainian assessments have said Russia has approximately 94,000 troops near the border, the U.S. map puts the number at 70,000 — but it predicts a buildup to as many as 175,000 and describes extensive movement of battalion tactical groups to and from the border “to obfuscate intentions and to create uncertainty.”
Russia has also called up tens of thousands of reservists and its rhetoric toward Ukraine has become increasingly belligerent. This is either one of the biggest military deception operations since World War II, or Putin is deadly serious.
Related: Ukraine Warns of Russian-Sponsored Coup as NATO Dithers About a Response to Putin Aggression
The installation of Joe Biden as the American president and German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s exit from power has given Putin a rare opportunity to have his way in Europe, unchallenged by a toothless NATO and the faltering U.S., which doesn’t have the stomach to stop Putin even if it could.
Putin appears confident enough to warn the U.S. against sending weapons to Ukraine or making any move to invite them to join NATO. And he’s preparing his own people for war.
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Ukraine is of no threat to Russia so this is all about annexation and restoration of the Soviet Union. The Russians would likely quickly overrun Ukraine and there is little likelihood of a NATO reaction. Ukraine has been fraught with corruption in recent years and the Biden family has taken advantage of that corruption to monetize Biden's office while he was Vice President under Obama. Ukraine was the scene of one of the biggest genocides in history during the Stalin regime in Russia.
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