The Canadian government has urged its citizens to leave Ukraine and refrain from traveling to that country “due to continued threats from the Russian Federation and the risk of armed conflict.” This is stated in the statement of the Canadian Cabinet.
“Avoid any travel to Ukraine due to ongoing threats from the Russian Federation and the risk of armed conflict. If you are in Ukraine, then you should leave while commercial vehicles are still available,” the statement said.
Materials about Russia’s military buildup near the borders of Ukraine and its alleged plans to invade the republic began to appear in the Western media as early as last fall. At the same time, the Kremlin and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) have said many times that Russia is not going to attack anyone, but conducts exercises on its territory and moves troops within it at its own discretion.
On January 28, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky during a press conference announced that there was no increase in tension with Russia. He noted that due to media publications, Western countries get the impression that tanks are driving along the streets of Kiev and that there is a war in Ukraine, but this is not so. The head of state stressed that the country does not need panic now. He also added that the statements of Western politicians that a war could soon begin in Ukraine cost the republic dearly.
On December 17, 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published draft treaties with the United States and agreements with NATO, which provide for the renunciation of the deployment of ground-based intermediate and shorter-range missiles outside the territory of the alliance, as well as the expansion of the military bloc to the east, closer to Russian borders. The American side and NATO handed over the answers to Moscow on January 26. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously noted that the US response does not contain a “positive reaction” regarding the main demand – to stop NATO’s eastward expansion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier today that Russia’s fundamental security concerns were being ignored by the United States and the NATO military alliance in their response to Moscow’s proposals.