The version battle that has been going on for the last day between Russia and the West continues tonight (Wednesday) against the background of the fear of an “immediate” Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Although Russia claims it has begun returning troops from the Ukrainian border after the exercises it participated in have come to an end, the US, UK and NATO insist the number of Russian troops near the border has only increased.
Following the announcement by the Tsarist NATO that the number of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border is increasing, tonight the US also issued a similar announcement, adding that Russian forces are advancing to attack positions. The State Department stressed that the fear of a Russian invasion has not changed. State Department spokesman Ned Price, referring to allegations of withdrawal, said: “I will be very clear – we did not notice it.”
US Secretary of State Anthony Belniken also referred to Russia’s statements on the withdrawal of forces from the Ukrainian border, saying: “Unfortunately there is a difference between what Russia says and what it does. We have not seen any withdrawal of forces. “We need to see the exact opposite – we need to see the forces move away.”
White House spokeswoman Jen Saki said tonight that “there is what Russia is saying, and there is what Russia is doing.” “We are following the steps taken very closely. The Russian forces are still very threateningly concentrated at the border,” she said. Saki added that a sixty-degree diplomatic solution to the crisis can still be reached.
Meanwhile, tonight US President Joe Biden spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Schultz. At the end of the conversation, the two Russian leaders demanded that steps be taken on the ground that would bring calm to the border.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said Russian officials were publishing lies to justify an invasion. “All of these allegations must be treated with proper and healthy skepticism,” Price said, noting that Russia relied on confusion and misinformation to obscure its traces. “We all need to look forward to it, and be prepared.”
Meanwhile in the West the intelligence assessment is being updated. Estonia’s head of intelligence services, Mick Maran, said tonight that Russia continues to move military forces to the border with Ukraine and that it will launch a limited military offensive against Ukraine: “The attack will include missiles.”
“Right now, our assessment is that they will avoid cities with large populations, as it takes a lot of soldiers to control these areas,” Maran explained. “But there is no clear understanding of what place the Russian soldiers might take advantage of.”
Apart from the Estonians, the EU has also warned of another option whereby Russia is preparing to annex territories in western Ukraine. In Israel, they conducted a situation assessment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the assessment: there is no change and no calm.
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