Enlarge image
Combat training of Russian and Belarusian soldiers in Belarus in early February
Photo: Alexey Kudenko / SNA / IMAGO
According to US intelligence services, Russia has already moved 70 percent of the troops needed for a large-scale invasion of Ukraine to the border.
Moscow has already stationed 110,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine, according to US intelligence officials.
However, it remains unclear whether President Vladimir Putin is actually planning an invasion of the neighboring country.
The Kremlin denies any attack plans.
According to US officials, the increase in Russian troops is progressing so quickly that the full force of 150,000 soldiers could be ready for a full-scale invasion by mid-February.
Putin wants to keep his options open, US officials said.
An invasion limited to the separatist region of Donbass is conceivable, but also a large-scale, comprehensive invasion.
Representatives of the US government assume that there will be many casualties in a war.
In the event of a major attack, Russia could take the Ukrainian capital Kiev and overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky within 48 hours.
Between 25,000 and 50,000 people could die among the Ukrainian civilian population alone, as the New York Times reported.
5,000 to 25,000 casualties on the part of the Ukrainian military are possible, while 3,000 to 10,000 fallen Russian soldiers are to be expected.
In addition, such an invasion of Russian troops in the neighboring country would trigger a wave of refugees.
Most of the up to five million refugees would move to Poland.
Talks with Lithuania about more troops
The Federal Government is meanwhile discussing with Lithuania further deployment of Bundeswehr soldiers to the region.
"We are already making a very important contribution in Lithuania, where we are the only EU country to have a battle group," Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht told the Funke media group.
"In principle, troops are also ready to be reinforced. We are now in talks with Lithuania about exactly what would make sense." Germany has been the leading nation in the NATO operation in Lithuania for five years and provides around half of the 1,200 men and women in the multinational unit.
In addition, Eurofighters would be deployed to Romania for air surveillance.
"Everyone in NATO can rely on us," said the minister.
Lambrecht continued to rule out German arms deliveries to Ukraine.
"It has long been the clear stance of the federal government - even in previous legislative periods - that we do not deliver weapons to crisis areas in order not to escalate further there," she said.
"We want to solve this conflict peacefully."
The government in Kiev had recently asked the federal government for specific armaments, according to a letter.
The list includes man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-drone guns, thermal imagers, night vision goggles, demining equipment, digital radios, radar stations, special medical vehicles and ammunition for machine guns.
Chancellor before meeting with US President Joe Biden
She rejected criticism of the delivery of 5,000 helmets to Ukraine.
“We received a request for helmets from Ukraine – without a specific number, by the way.
And then, of course, we checked whether that was possible,” she said.
"So we're fulfilling a wish from our partners in Kiev here."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is scheduled to hold consultations with the heads of state and government of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania next week in Berlin.
This Sunday Scholz (SPD) is on his way to his inaugural visit to the USA, which is likely to be dominated by the Ukraine crisis.
A meeting with US President Joe Biden is planned for Monday at the White House.
After taking office a good year ago, he promised a new start in German-American relations after four difficult years under his predecessor Donald Trump.
In the Ukraine crisis, however, doubts are now also being raised in the USA as to whether Germany can be counted on in an emergency.
kig/afp/Reuters/dpa
