What does Russia require to resolve the crisis with Ukraine?
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Kyiv (CNN) —
Russia has not amassed sufficient forces for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine imminently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Wednesday.
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Kuleba told reporters in Kyiv that Russian troops could attack Ukraine at any time, as has been the case since 2014. However, he added that they could not currently mount a full offensive.
"The number of Russian troops accumulated along the Ukrainian border and in the occupied territories is large, it represents a threat, a direct threat to Ukraine," Kuleba stressed.
The great military deployment of Russia near the border with Ukraine 1:37
"However, as we speak, that number is insufficient for a large-scale offensive along the entire border with Ukraine. They also lack some important military indicators and systems to execute such a large-scale offensive," he added.
"We can say 100 times a day that the invasion is imminent. But this does not change the situation on the ground."
Kuleba also told reporters that a military invasion is not the only threat to Ukraine.
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"We see a scenario of destabilization of Ukraine and that scenario is imminent. It is already happening: spreading panic, putting pressure on Ukraine's financial system, carrying out cyber attacks against Ukraine," he insisted.
"I'm sure President Putin would be happy to see this plan succeed so that he doesn't even have to resort to military force to put Ukraine in an extremely vulnerable position."
He added: "The number one priority today is to keep things under control. Be realistic in assessing the immediate threat without diminishing the threat of a possible military invasion."
"It is very difficult to expect a large-scale war"
Hours earlier on Wednesday, Sergiy Korsunsky, Ukraine's ambassador to Japan, said he does not expect an all-out war with Russia.
"I am optimistic. I think it is very, very, very difficult to expect a large-scale war. But, unfortunately, we may have a more localized conflict," Korsunsky said during a speech in Tokyo on Ukraine-Japan relations.
"Although, if it comes to military terms, let me tell you that we are very well prepared. Our Army is very well prepared. And you have a population that is very well motivated," Korsunsky said.
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"It is absolute nonsense to think, as some Russian analysts say, that once we see the approach of Russian forces, there will be an uprising, there will be a change in government. No way," he added.
A source close to the Ukrainian leadership told CNN on Tuesday that the latest military intelligence suggests that Russian forces are not yet prepared to mount an imminent invasion of the country.
CNN's Radina Gigova, Mayumi Maruyama, Matthew Chance and Clarissa Ward contributed to this report.
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