Russia announces withdrawal of troops concentrated near Ukraine International

Real expansion, identity or error? The Russian Defense Ministry announced this Tuesday Western Military Districts And from the south of Russia, concentrating for several months on the borders with Ukraine and beginning to return to their bases after completing training. This is the notice that caused it Positive reaction in the markets And in rubles, it is under pressure for weeks, and it comes a day later The Kremlin pointed out that there was still room for diplomatic talks. However, while some groups of troops are announcing their return to their camps, Russia is maintaining military maneuvers in various fields and concentrating troops in other areas close to Ukraine.

NATO, for its part, is wary of withdrawing troops. Its general secretary, Jens StoltenbergHe announced from Brussels this Tuesday that he sees signs of “cautious optimism” in the Kremlin’s signs of pursuing a diplomatic path, but he has yet to find any signs of real expansion.

Last spring, when Russia announced that it was a group on its western frontiers and that it had provoked warnings from the European Union and NATO that it would withdraw troops, it dropped several troops and most of its heavy weapons to the ground. This Tuesday, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov, spoke of the withdrawal of groups from the western and southern districts – forces that have come from all over Russia, even from the Far East, but they are not. The two have bases in areas very close to Ukraine. But a spokesman said Russian troops would continue to maneuver in “many areas of operation.” “The Russian Armed Forces is conducting large-scale exercises involving all military districts, navies and air forces,” the Russian Interfax agency said.

The defense noted that naval maneuvers were also being developed, including “surface ships, submarines and maritime aviation in the world’s oceans and maritime areas adjacent to Russian territory.”

“Everything is ready for a new attack.”

Speaking at a news conference ahead of a meeting of coalition defense ministers, Stoltenberg said, “So far we have not seen any signs of a subsidence underground. Everything is still ready for a new offensive against Ukraine.” He warns: “Russia is moving troops from one place to another, but it is not an expansion (…) we need significant and lasting withdrawal of troops and weapons.”

The NATO leader firmly believes that the Kremlin’s military presence around Ukraine “will allow it to launch an offensive at any time without any pre-warning signal.” He also warned that Russia was withdrawing troops.

Russia has amassed about 140,000 troops on the border with UkraineOn the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and Belarus, which were illegally annexed in 2014, are carrying out joint maneuvers with troops from Minsk, according to estimates by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the United States. The Russian military has moved rocket batteries westward and stationed surface-to-air missile systems from the Iskander surface. Valery Zalushny, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on Monday that Russia had mobilized 85 to 87 battalion tactical teams near Ukraine and that about 20 people were continuing to move.

Despite warnings from the United States, this week promises to be decisive The Kremlin may soon begin a full-scale invasionMoscow denies wanting another military occupation of Donbass between the Kiev military and pro-Russian Kremlin-backed pro-Russian separatists against Ukraine, where Europe’s last war is taking place.

Russia claims that it can move troops into its territory as it pleases, and that NATO’s threat to Russian security and sovereignty are part of the Atlantic Alliance’s war maneuvers (which called for Kiev to join in 2008, although that member has not progressed). Causing crisis in Ukraine. Washington believes that Moscow is preparing the West for provocations to launch the war, while Russia may use a false flag operation (a military operation that appears to be the work of the enemy) in the guise of self-defense to intervene in Ukraine. According to senior Russian officials, he is a citizen of the secluded areas of Donetsk and Lukansk, where he has handed over one million Russian passports.

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The Kremlin on Tuesday reiterated its accusations against NATO and the United States, accusing it of exacerbating the crisis, promoting it and fanaticism. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that Russia has always wanted to end maneuvers and return troops to its bases, and that the reaction to the Russian troop concentration shows the weakness of the West and that the departure could be considered an achievement. . “Western nations, if they have not already done so, ‘look, as soon as we have pushed them and [el presidente estadounidense, Joe] Biden rallied, they were immediately frightened and complied with our demands, “Lavrov told a news conference with his Polish envoy Zbigniew Rau in Moscow.

In Ukraine, the government has taken cautiously the announcement of the withdrawal of some Russian troops. Foreign Minister Dimitri Guleba said there was reason for suspicion. “When we see a pullback, we believe the rise will slow down,” he told a video conference.

In the face of repeated warnings from the United States — intelligence reports have even set a date for the alleged invasion, this Wednesday, February 16—, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zhelensky seeks to ask for peace from appearing citizens. Kiev fears that in this suffocating war, Moscow will reach the goal of destabilizing the country. “Today they are threatening Ukraine with a major war and again setting a date for a military invasion, but our state is stronger than ever,” Zhelensky said in a televised address on Monday night. Declaring February 16 as Ukraine Unity Day, the President ordered the flag to be flown at all official buildings and the national anthem to be played at 10 am.

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