Europe on the verge of war:
The situation in eastern Ukraine became even more explosive today (Thursday), first because of provocations by pro-Russian separatists who apparently shelled civilian targets in the Donbass region, and then with extraordinary intensity also on the diplomatic level.
U.S. President Joe Biden has reiterated this afternoon that Russia is preparing for the invasion. Added to diplomatic tensions today was the expulsion from Russia of US Deputy Ambassador Bart Gorman for reasons unknown at this time.
Tensions in Ukraine: gunfire from Donetsk shelling // Reuters
Meanwhile, the US administration claimed that the Russian moves were apparently intended to provide an excuse and that the evidence on the ground proves that Russia is approaching an invasion.
In the West, it is estimated that the attacks by pro-Russian separatists earlier today are an attempt to obtain a Ukrainian response that will provide Putin with a pretext for war.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also warned of a "staged provocation" by Russia, similar to the attack on the kindergarten and other civilian targets along the Donbas front.
Secretary of State Blinken also warned the Security Council that Russia intends to falsify a pretext for a violent incursion that would accuse Ukraine of a fake UAV attack on a civilian target, allegations of finding a mass grave or even a real chemical weapons attack that Russia will present as ethnic cleansing against Kiev. He stressed that Moscow was already preparing the ground for such a provocation, noting that Russia had indeed submitted documents to the Security Council during the day in which it accused Ukraine of crimes against pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk.
INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Russia retains a significant military presence that can conduct an invasion without further warning.
Below demonstrates President Putin's possible axis of invasion.
He still can choose to prevent conflict and preserve peace.
pic.twitter.com/QHRM1wNwJG
- Ministry of Defense 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) February 17, 2022
At the same time, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kolba and his British counterpart, Liz Tras, announced today the creation of a tripartite format between Ukraine, Britain and Poland.
"We have the honor and pleasure of announcing a new tripartite format of cooperation with London and Warsaw, which will stand side by side with the Ukrainian people in efforts to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within international recognized borders," Kolba said.
Russia, for its part, has made it clear that the US proposals to end the crisis are unacceptable to it and has even responded to them with a series of far-reaching demands from the United States and NATO.
According to Moscow, only if the requirements are met as a whole can the situation be restored as it was, otherwise "Russia will be prepared to respond even through technical military moves in the absence of an American willingness to comply with the guarantees that will ensure our security."
Ukrainian soldiers during training in Donetsk in the east of the country, Photo: Reuters
Russia's requirements from the US
In an 11-page document sent to Washington, Russia demands that the United States prevent the establishment of bases in former Soviet countries that have not yet joined NATO and withdraw its forces from the countries that joined NATO after 1997, the year a US-Russia agreement was reached. Is supposed, according to Russian interpretation, to prevent the expansion of the alliance to the east.
Moscow also demands that the US prevent the supply of weapons to Ukraine and withdraw all Western advisers from the country, as well as cease exercises with the Ukrainian armed forces and return the foreign equipment that has reached Kiev so far. Russia's responsibility for escalation is nothing more than an attempt to put pressure on Moscow and undermine its security.
It added that "the growing military activity of the United States and NATO directly within Russia's borders is worrying, while our red lines and our basic security interests, as well as Russia's sovereign right to protect them, continue to be ignored.
"The final demands for the withdrawal of soldiers from certain areas of Russian territory, accompanied by threats of severe sanctions, are unacceptable and undermine the chances of reaching real agreements."
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us
