Russia's military buildup near Ukraine has expanded to include supplies of blood along with other medical materials that would allow it to treat casualties, in yet another key indicator of Moscow's military readiness, three U.S. officials tell Reuters.

Current and former U.S. officials say concrete indicators -- like blood supplies -- are critical in determining whether Moscow would be prepared to carry out an invasion, if Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to do so.

The disclosure of the blood supplies by US&nbsp;officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, adds another piece of context to growing US&nbsp;warnings that Russia could be preparing for a new invasion of Ukraine as it masses more than 100,000 troops near its borders.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-ongoing-ukraine-crisis-russian-troops-arrive-in-belarus-for-military-drills-448750">Amid ongoing Ukraine crisis, Russian troops arrive in Belarus for military drills</a>

These warnings have included President Joe Biden's prediction that a Russian assault was likely and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's remarks that Russia could launch a new attack on Ukraine at "very short notice."

The Pentagon has previously acknowledged the deployment of "medical support" as part of Russia's buildup. But the disclosure of blood supplies adds a level of detail that experts say is critical to determining Russian military readiness.

"It doesn't guarantee that there's going to be another attack, but you would not execute another attack unless you have that in hand," said Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. lieutenant general now with the Center for European Policy Analysis research institute.

The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment

Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar denied the information.

"This information is not true. Such 'news' is an element of information and psychological war. The purpose of such information is to spread panic and fear in our society," she said on Facebook.

On Friday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticised a "feeling abroad" that a war had already started. "We don't need this panic," he told reporters in Kyiv.

A White House spokesperson did not immediately comment on any Russian movement of blood supplies but noted repeated public U.S. warnings about Russian military readiness.

The Pentagon declined to discuss intelligence assessments.

SECURITY DEMANDS

The three U.S. officials who spoke about the blood supplies declined to say specifically when the United States detected their movement to formations near Ukraine. However, two of them said it was within recent weeks.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied planning to invade. But Moscow says it feels menaced by Kyiv's growing ties with the West.

Eight years ago it seized Crimea and backed separatist forces who took control of large parts of eastern Ukraine.

Russia's security demands, presented in December, include an end to further NATO enlargement, barring Ukraine from ever joining and pulling back the alliance's forces and weaponry from eastern European countries that joined after the Cold War.

Putin said on Friday the United States and NATO had not addressed Russia's main security demands in their standoff over Ukraine but that Moscow was ready to keep talking.

Biden has said he will not send U.S. or allied troops to fight Russia in Ukraine but told Ukraine's Zelenskiy in a phone call on Thursday that Washington and its allies stand ready to respond decisively if Russia invades the former Soviet state, the White House said.

The United States and its allies have said Russia will face tough economic sanctions https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/how-financial-western-sanctions-might-target-russia-2022-01-19 if it attacks Ukraine.

Western countries have already imposed repeated rounds of economic sanctions since Russian troops seized and annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014.

But such moves have had scant impact on Russian policy, with Moscow, Europe's main energy supplier, calculating that the West would stop short of steps serious enough to interfere with gas exports.

Russia's military buildup near Ukraine has expanded to include supplies of blood along with other medical materials that would allow it to treat casualties, in yet another key indicator of Moscow's military readiness, three U.

Russia's military buildup near Ukraine has expanded to include supplies of blood along with other medical materials that would allow it to treat casualties, in yet another key indicator of Moscow's military readiness, three U.S. officials tell Reuters. Current and former U.S. officials say concrete indicators -- like blood supplies -- are critical in determining whether Moscow would be prepared to carry out an invasion, if Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to do so. The disclosure of the blood supplies by US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, adds another piece of context to growing US warnings that Russia could be preparing for a new invasion of Ukraine as it masses more than 100,000 troops near its borders. Also Read | Amid ongoing Ukraine crisis, Russian troops arrive in Belarus for military drills These warnings have included President Joe Biden's prediction that a Russian assault was likely and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's remarks that Russia could launch a new attack on Ukraine at "very short notice." The Pentagon has previously acknowledged the deployment of "medical support" as part of Russia's buildup. But the disclosure of blood supplies adds a level of detail that experts say is critical to determining Russian military readiness. "It doesn't guarantee that there's going to be another attack, but you would not execute another attack unless you have that in hand," said Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. lieutenant general now with the Center for European Policy Analysis research institute. The Russian Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a written request for comment Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar denied the information. "This information is not true. Such 'news' is an element of information and psychological war. The purpose of such information is to spread panic and fear in our society," she said on Facebook. On Friday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticised a "feeling abroad" that a war had already started. "We don't need this panic," he told reporters in Kyiv. A White House spokesperson did not immediately comment on any Russian movement of blood supplies but noted repeated public U.S. warnings about Russian military readiness. The Pentagon declined to discuss intelligence assessments. SECURITY DEMANDS The three U.S. officials who spoke about the blood supplies declined to say specifically when the United States detected their movement to formations near Ukraine. However, two of them said it was within recent weeks. Russian officials have repeatedly denied planning to invade. But Moscow says it feels menaced by Kyiv's growing ties with the West. Eight years ago it seized Crimea and backed separatist forces who took control of large parts of eastern Ukraine. Russia's security demands, presented in December, include an end to further NATO enlargement, barring Ukraine from ever joining and pulling back the alliance's forces and weaponry from eastern European countries that joined after the Cold War. Putin said on Friday the United States and NATO had not addressed Russia's main security demands in their standoff over Ukraine but that Moscow was ready to keep talking. Biden has said he will not send U.S. or allied troops to fight Russia in Ukraine but told Ukraine's Zelenskiy in a phone call on Thursday that Washington and its allies stand ready to respond decisively if Russia invades the former Soviet state, the White House said. The United States and its allies have said Russia will face tough economic sanctions https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/how-financial-western-sanctions-might-target-russia-2022-01-19 if it attacks Ukraine. Western countries have already imposed repeated rounds of economic sanctions since Russian troops seized and annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014. But such moves have had scant impact on Russian policy, with Moscow, Europe's main energy supplier, calculating that the West would stop short of steps serious enough to interfere with gas exports.

Russia moves blood supplies near Ukraine, adding to US concern, officials say

Russia's Rosstat statistics agency reported a historic drop in the country's population with over one million excess deaths.

The statistics agency said 660,000 people had died since the start of the pandemic in Russia as the country's population fell by more than one million in 2021 due to pandemic woes and an ageing population.

According to the agency, the number of births per woman stands at around 1.5 which is below the 2.1 required to balance the population levels in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/10-countries-projected-to-have-the-largest-populations-by-2100-326302">Also Read:&nbsp;10 countries projected to have the largest populations by 2100</a>

Russia has continued to report high coronavirus cases and deaths with vaccination levels at low levels despite the presence of locally manufactured Sputnik V vaccine which was released in 2020.

Watch:&nbsp;Russia's population falls amid COVID-19 pandemic

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-population-falls-by-more-than-a-million-as-demography-woes-exacerbate-by-the-covid-pandemic-448665/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

President Putin during his annual press conference in December last year had said, "146 million for such a vast territory is utterly insufficient." The Russian president had said it was a major setback from an "economic standpoint".

"We have a little more than 81 million people of able-bodied age. We are obliged to increase the number by 2024 and 2030," the Russian president had asserted while pointing at the "geopolitical component" of the issue.

"Preservation of the people, which Alexander Solzhenitsyn spoke about at length, is one of the main tasks and main growth drivers," Putin maintained.

Putin's regime on its part has introduced a number of incentives for Russian parents with more than one child with cash incentives and competitive mortgage rates.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

Russia's Rosstat statistics agency reported a historic drop in the country's population with over one million excess deaths. The statistics agency said 660,000 people had died since the start of the pandemic in Russia as the country's population fell by more than one million in 2021 due to pandemic woes and an ageing population.

Russia's Rosstat statistics agency reported a historic drop in the country's population with over one million excess deaths. The statistics agency said 660,000 people had died since the start of the pandemic in Russia as the country's population fell by more than one million in 2021 due to pandemic woes and an ageing population. According to the agency, the number of births per woman stands at around 1.5 which is below the 2.1 required to balance the population levels in the country. Also Read: 10 countries projected to have the largest populations by 2100 Russia has continued to report high coronavirus cases and deaths with vaccination levels at low levels despite the presence of locally manufactured Sputnik V vaccine which was released in 2020. Watch: Russia's population falls amid COVID-19 pandemic President Putin during his annual press conference in December last year had said, "146 million for such a vast territory is utterly insufficient." The Russian president had said it was a major setback from an "economic standpoint". "We have a little more than 81 million people of able-bodied age. We are obliged to increase the number by 2024 and 2030," the Russian president had asserted while pointing at the "geopolitical component" of the issue. "Preservation of the people, which Alexander Solzhenitsyn spoke about at length, is one of the main tasks and main growth drivers," Putin maintained. Putin's regime on its part has introduced a number of incentives for Russian parents with more than one child with cash incentives and competitive mortgage rates. (With inputs from Agencies)

'146 million insufficient': Russia's annual population falls to record level amid excess deaths

Russian defence ministry released on Saturday (January 23) footage of Russian soldiers arriving in Belarus for upcoming military drills.

The drills will take place from February 10 to February 20 and aimed at "practicing coordinating allied forces," the ministry said in a statement accompanying the video.

Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near the Ukrainian border as it presses demands for a redrawing of post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe.

The United States and its allies have warned President Vladimir Putin that Russia will face swift and tough economic sanctions if he attacks Ukraine.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the Western military alliance was watching closely as Russia moves troops and arms into Belarus for drills.

US President Joe Biden has already said that the US would be <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-biden-to-move-troops-to-eastern-europe-amid-russia-tensions-448630">moving small number of troops</a> to eastern Europe.

Russia has been maintaining that it had no plans to invade Ukraine but comments from Russian side about Ukraine having been responsible to create security threats for Russia is being seen as a pretext for eventual invasion.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-biden-to-move-troops-to-eastern-europe-amid-russia-tensions-448630">US President Biden to move troops to eastern Europe amid Russia tensions</a>

Russia is fiercely against Ukraine's inclusion in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Ukraine was part of erstwhile Soviet Union. NATO has been maintaining that its 'open door policy' would continue, meaning that any country could freely join the alliance if it chooses to.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian defence ministry released on Saturday (January 23) footage of Russian soldiers arriving in Belarus for upcoming military drills. The drills will take place from February 10 to February 20 and aimed at "practicing coordinating allied forces," the ministry said in a statement accompanying the video.

Russian defence ministry released on Saturday (January 23) footage of Russian soldiers arriving in Belarus for upcoming military drills. The drills will take place from February 10 to February 20 and aimed at "practicing coordinating allied forces," the ministry said in a statement accompanying the video. Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops near the Ukrainian border as it presses demands for a redrawing of post-Cold War security arrangements in Europe. The United States and its allies have warned President Vladimir Putin that Russia will face swift and tough economic sanctions if he attacks Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the Western military alliance was watching closely as Russia moves troops and arms into Belarus for drills. US President Joe Biden has already said that the US would be moving small number of troops to eastern Europe. Russia has been maintaining that it had no plans to invade Ukraine but comments from Russian side about Ukraine having been responsible to create security threats for Russia is being seen as a pretext for eventual invasion. Also Read | US President Biden to move troops to eastern Europe amid Russia tensions Russia is fiercely against Ukraine's inclusion in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Ukraine was part of erstwhile Soviet Union. NATO has been maintaining that its 'open door policy' would continue, meaning that any country could freely join the alliance if it chooses to. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid ongoing Ukraine crisis, Russian troops arrive in Belarus for military drills

The crisis on the Russia-Ukraine border has Europe on high alert, with a defence analyst&nbsp;warning the situation could descend into a “world war” within weeks if tensions aren’t stemmed. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-expresses-concern-over-russian-activity-near-ukraine-375377">Also read: EU expresses concern over Russian activity near Ukraine</a> 
 
Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent Russian military analyst, has said that a European or even World War could be triggered in four weeks in Ukraine after Russia dispatched 4,000 soldiers to the disputed border with its neighbour.

"The threats are growing, and rapidly. Much is not discussed in the media, but we are seeing very bad signs. The crisis has the potential to escalate into a pan-European war, if not even a world one." he said. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-putin-approves-legislation-allowing-him-to-serve-two-more-terms-375544">Also read: Russian President Putin approves legislation allowing him to serve two more terms</a>

The analysis comes after President Vladimir Putin deployed up to 4,000 Russian soldiers along with tanks and other armoured vehicles to the disputed border with its neighbour.

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Day 3: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a> Military build up continues near Ukraine border. 
 
Video of military vehicles, tanks today reportedly from city of Karsnodar: <a href="https://t.co/ItgkKyI1jo">pic.twitter.com/ItgkKyI1jo</a>
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) <a href="https://twitter.com/Joyce_Karam/status/1377997465673203713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Last week, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Ruslan Khomchak had said that Russia is building up armed forces near Ukraine’s borders in a threat to the country’s security, accusing Moscow of pursuing an “aggressive policy” towards Kyiv.

In remarks to parliament, Khomchak also accused pro-Moscow separatists of systematically violating a ceasefire in the conflict in eastern Ukraine agreed in July 2020.

Ukraine and Russia have traded blame for a spike in violence in the conflict, which Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014. 
 
However, The Kremlin said that Russian military movements near its shared border with Ukraine posed no threat to Ukraine or anyone else and that Moscow moved troops around its country as it saw fit.

(With inputs from agencies)

The crisis on the Russia-Ukraine border has Europe on high alert, with a defence analyst warning the situation could descend into a “world war” within weeks if tensions aren’t stemmed.

The crisis on the Russia-Ukraine border has Europe on high alert, with a defence analyst warning the situation could descend into a “world war” within weeks if tensions aren’t stemmed. Also read: EU expresses concern over Russian activity near Ukraine Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent Russian military analyst, has said that a European or even World War could be triggered in four weeks in Ukraine after Russia dispatched 4,000 soldiers to the disputed border with its neighbour. "The threats are growing, and rapidly. Much is not discussed in the media, but we are seeing very bad signs. The crisis has the potential to escalate into a pan-European war, if not even a world one." he said. Also read: Russian President Putin approves legislation allowing him to serve two more terms The analysis comes after President Vladimir Putin deployed up to 4,000 Russian soldiers along with tanks and other armoured vehicles to the disputed border with its neighbour. Day 3: #Russia Military build up continues near Ukraine border. Video of military vehicles, tanks today reportedly from city of Karsnodar: pic.twitter.com/ItgkKyI1jo — Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) April 2, 2021 × Last week, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Ruslan Khomchak had said that Russia is building up armed forces near Ukraine’s borders in a threat to the country’s security, accusing Moscow of pursuing an “aggressive policy” towards Kyiv. In remarks to parliament, Khomchak also accused pro-Moscow separatists of systematically violating a ceasefire in the conflict in eastern Ukraine agreed in July 2020. Ukraine and Russia have traded blame for a spike in violence in the conflict, which Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014. However, The Kremlin said that Russian military movements near its shared border with Ukraine posed no threat to Ukraine or anyone else and that Moscow moved troops around its country as it saw fit. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine border crisis: World War will begin in a month, warns military analyst

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of building up troop presence on Ukraine's borders, while the US has warned Moscow against "intimidating" Ukraine.

Zelensky has described these as a regular interference by Russia. "Muscle-flexing in the form of military exercises and possible provocations along the border are traditional Russian games," he said in a statement.

He also accused the Vladimir Putin-led country of creating a "threatening atmosphere" while Ukraine is aiming to resume a ceasefire that was brokered last year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cannot-ape-putin-explains-why-he-chose-to-get-vaccinated-in-private-373949">'Cannot ape': Putin explains why he chose to get vaccinated in private</a>

Kremlin, however, has denied reports and has claimed Russia is 'not threatening' Ukraine.&nbsp;

"No doubt such a scenario would lead to a further increase in tensions close to Russia's borders. Of course, this would call for additional measures from the Russian side to ensure its security,"&nbsp;Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told media.

The Kremlin has also warned that Russia will take&nbsp;'measures' if Western troops are sent to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US State Department has warned Russia against massing troops on the border.

The department said it is "absolutely concerned by recent escalations of Russian aggressive and provocative actions in eastern&nbsp;Ukraine."

"What we would object to are aggressive actions that have an&nbsp;intent of intimidating, of threatening, our partner&nbsp;Ukraine."

Experts believe the buildup on the border is Russia’s technique to put the newly-elected Joe Biden’s administration to test after the US president labelled Putin as a "killer”."

There has been a rise in violence between Ukraine’s government forces and Kremlin-backed separatists.

As of now, Zelensky said, 20 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed and 57 wounded since the start of the year.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of building up troop presence on Ukraine's borders, while the US has warned Moscow against "intimidating" Ukraine.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of building up troop presence on Ukraine's borders, while the US has warned Moscow against "intimidating" Ukraine. Zelensky has described these as a regular interference by Russia. "Muscle-flexing in the form of military exercises and possible provocations along the border are traditional Russian games," he said in a statement. He also accused the Vladimir Putin-led country of creating a "threatening atmosphere" while Ukraine is aiming to resume a ceasefire that was brokered last year. Also read | 'Cannot ape': Putin explains why he chose to get vaccinated in private Kremlin, however, has denied reports and has claimed Russia is 'not threatening' Ukraine. "No doubt such a scenario would lead to a further increase in tensions close to Russia's borders. Of course, this would call for additional measures from the Russian side to ensure its security," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told media. The Kremlin has also warned that Russia will take 'measures' if Western troops are sent to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US State Department has warned Russia against massing troops on the border. The department said it is "absolutely concerned by recent escalations of Russian aggressive and provocative actions in eastern Ukraine." "What we would object to are aggressive actions that have an intent of intimidating, of threatening, our partner Ukraine." Experts believe the buildup on the border is Russia’s technique to put the newly-elected Joe Biden’s administration to test after the US president labelled Putin as a "killer”." There has been a rise in violence between Ukraine’s government forces and Kremlin-backed separatists. As of now, Zelensky said, 20 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed and 57 wounded since the start of the year.

Ukraine accuses Russia of massing troops on border; Moscow warns 'measures'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday was travelling to Ukraine's eastern frontline. His visit came after increased clashes with separatist forces and tension with Russia.

In recent weeks, fighting between Ukrainian army and separatists has intensified. This has raised fears of a major escalation in conflict over the majority Russian-speaking Donbas region.

On Thursday, Ukraine military said that another of its soldiers had been killed. 25 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed. In the whole of 2020, fifty Ukrainian soldiers were killed.

Zelensky, who has appealed to Ukraine's Western allies for support, was due to visit positions where a ceasefire "has been systematically violated in recent days" and Ukrainian soldiers killed or wounded, the presidency said in a statement.

"I want to be with our soldiers in the tough times in Donbas," Zelensky said. "Going to the locations of the escalation.... Ukraine needs peace and will do everything for this."

Fighting in the conflict, which erupted after Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, subsided last year as a new ceasefire agreement took hold.

But clashes, mainly involving artillery and mortar fire, have picked up again since the start of the year, with both sides blaming each other.

Last week, Ukraine also accused Russia of bringing thousands of military personnel on northern, eastern borders in addition to on Crimean peninsula.

The separatists are widely seen as having Russia's political and military backing, which Moscow denies.

(With AFP inputs)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday was travelling to Ukraine's eastern frontline. His visit came after increased clashes with separatist forces and tension with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday was travelling to Ukraine's eastern frontline. His visit came after increased clashes with separatist forces and tension with Russia. In recent weeks, fighting between Ukrainian army and separatists has intensified. This has raised fears of a major escalation in conflict over the majority Russian-speaking Donbas region. On Thursday, Ukraine military said that another of its soldiers had been killed. 25 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed. In the whole of 2020, fifty Ukrainian soldiers were killed. Zelensky, who has appealed to Ukraine's Western allies for support, was due to visit positions where a ceasefire "has been systematically violated in recent days" and Ukrainian soldiers killed or wounded, the presidency said in a statement. "I want to be with our soldiers in the tough times in Donbas," Zelensky said. "Going to the locations of the escalation.... Ukraine needs peace and will do everything for this." Fighting in the conflict, which erupted after Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, subsided last year as a new ceasefire agreement took hold. But clashes, mainly involving artillery and mortar fire, have picked up again since the start of the year, with both sides blaming each other. Last week, Ukraine also accused Russia of bringing thousands of military personnel on northern, eastern borders in addition to on Crimean peninsula. The separatists are widely seen as having Russia's political and military backing, which Moscow denies. (With AFP inputs)

Ukraine president to visit frontline amid tensions with Russia

There is a "low to medium" risk that Russia will invade Ukraine over the next few weeks, the top U.S. general in Europe said on Thursday, in the first such military assessment amid mounting concern about Russian troop movements toward Ukraine's borders.

Air Force General Tod Wolters declined to explain the intelligence driving his assessment, which does not suggest that the U.S. military expects a Russian invasion at this point, but he is not ruling one out or playing down the risk.

But, in testimony before a House of Representatives committee he later suggested his view about the risks in the coming weeks and months was at least partly based on the disposition of Russian forces.

The Pentagon has declined to detail its assessment on the size and composition of those troops, referring reporters to Moscow. However, the White House disclosed last week that Russia had more troops on Ukraine's eastern border than at any time since 2014, when it annexed Crimea and backed separatist territory seizures.

Asked by a lawmaker on the Armed Services Committee to estimate the chances of an invasion in the next few weeks, Wolters said: "Low to medium."

Pressed by another lawmaker to explain whether that risk would change after that period, Wolters kept his cards close, saying: "The answer is, it depends."

"And I would have to take each and every second of the day from this point till tomorrow to give you a different answer," said Wolters, who is both head of the U.S. military's European Command and is NATO's supreme allied commander Europe.

If the current trajectory stayed the same, however, Wolters estimated the risk of an invasion could decrease.

"My sense is, with the trend that I see right now, that the likelihood of an occurrence will start to wane," he told Congress members.

Ukraine and Russia have traded blame over a spike in violence in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian troops have battled Russian-backed separatist forces in a conflict that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014.

Tensions over a buildup of Russian troops on Ukraine's eastern border have pushed up the cost of raising domestic debt and prompted the government to accelerate efforts to secure more International Monetary Fund loans, an adviser to Ukraine's president told Reuters on Thursday.

The United States sought to impose costs on Russia on Thursday by imposing a broad array of sanctions, including curbs to its sovereign debt market, to punish it for interfering in last year's U.S. presidential election, cyber-hacking, bullying Ukraine and other alleged "malign" actions.

Laura Cooper, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, pointed to the sanctions and described the conflict in eastern Ukraine as "a hot war right now."

"Since January, we've already had 30 Ukrainian service members killed in the east," Cooper testified, speaking alongside Wolters.

Still, both Cooper and Walters did not request additional authorities to support Ukrainian forces, which started receiving anti-tank weapons and other weaponry in recent years from Washington.

"I think we have the right authorities and we have been able to provide the right lethal assistance, again, both on the land domain and the maritime domain at this point," Cooper said.

There is a "low to medium" risk that Russia will invade Ukraine over the next few weeks, the top U.S. general in Europe said on Thursday, in the first such military assessment amid mounting concern about Russian troop movements toward Ukraine's borders.

There is a "low to medium" risk that Russia will invade Ukraine over the next few weeks, the top U.S. general in Europe said on Thursday, in the first such military assessment amid mounting concern about Russian troop movements toward Ukraine's borders. Air Force General Tod Wolters declined to explain the intelligence driving his assessment, which does not suggest that the U.S. military expects a Russian invasion at this point, but he is not ruling one out or playing down the risk. But, in testimony before a House of Representatives committee he later suggested his view about the risks in the coming weeks and months was at least partly based on the disposition of Russian forces. The Pentagon has declined to detail its assessment on the size and composition of those troops, referring reporters to Moscow. However, the White House disclosed last week that Russia had more troops on Ukraine's eastern border than at any time since 2014, when it annexed Crimea and backed separatist territory seizures. Asked by a lawmaker on the Armed Services Committee to estimate the chances of an invasion in the next few weeks, Wolters said: "Low to medium." Pressed by another lawmaker to explain whether that risk would change after that period, Wolters kept his cards close, saying: "The answer is, it depends." "And I would have to take each and every second of the day from this point till tomorrow to give you a different answer," said Wolters, who is both head of the U.S. military's European Command and is NATO's supreme allied commander Europe. If the current trajectory stayed the same, however, Wolters estimated the risk of an invasion could decrease. "My sense is, with the trend that I see right now, that the likelihood of an occurrence will start to wane," he told Congress members. Ukraine and Russia have traded blame over a spike in violence in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian troops have battled Russian-backed separatist forces in a conflict that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014. Tensions over a buildup of Russian troops on Ukraine's eastern border have pushed up the cost of raising domestic debt and prompted the government to accelerate efforts to secure more International Monetary Fund loans, an adviser to Ukraine's president told Reuters on Thursday. The United States sought to impose costs on Russia on Thursday by imposing a broad array of sanctions, including curbs to its sovereign debt market, to punish it for interfering in last year's U.S. presidential election, cyber-hacking, bullying Ukraine and other alleged "malign" actions. Laura Cooper, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, pointed to the sanctions and described the conflict in eastern Ukraine as "a hot war right now." "Since January, we've already had 30 Ukrainian service members killed in the east," Cooper testified, speaking alongside Wolters. Still, both Cooper and Walters did not request additional authorities to support Ukrainian forces, which started receiving anti-tank weapons and other weaponry in recent years from Washington. "I think we have the right authorities and we have been able to provide the right lethal assistance, again, both on the land domain and the maritime domain at this point," Cooper said.

Low to medium risk of Russian invasion of Ukraine in next few weeks: US general

A massive troop buildup and two major nuclear powers on either side, a&nbsp;lot can go wrong.

So, Joe Biden dispatched his top cabinet members to Europe, America's defence and foreign secretaries.&nbsp;

They are talking to European leaders, holding meetings with the Ukrainians and increasing their military presence in Germany. Will this be enough to ensure a Russian troop withdrawal? &nbsp;

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Soldiers are at the border, Sukhois in the air and the navy in the Black Sea. Russia's buildup near Ukraine has alarmed the West. America says all this can't be just a training exercise and Europe is equally worried. They fear a serious escalation at the Ukrainian border. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister is meeting NATO officials. Biden's top diplomats have landed in Europe. Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken are holding talks in Brussels, the US secretary of state met with his Ukrainian counterpart and reaffirmed America's support to Ukraine. &nbsp;

The US secretary of defence was in Berlin and met his German counterpart. Austin announced that America will increase its military presence in Germany by 500 soldiers. The US has also called off the withdrawal of 12,000 soldiers from Germany. It's a reversal of former president Donald Trump's plans. &nbsp;

Russia is watching the shift. It could have implications for a major energy project, the Nord Stream 2. It's a gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. The Biden administration isn't happy about it. Republicans in the US are demanding sanctions against German companies. What will President Biden do?&nbsp;

Look the other way, for the moment. Russia is raising the spectre of war against Ukraine. Now&nbsp;is not the time to sanction Germany. The United States and NATO are speaking in one voice. America sees Russia's moves as an opportunity to repair ties with Europe. It's an alliance that was battered under Trump. In his four years as president, Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, slapped tariffs on goods from the European Union and repeatedly questioned NATO members over their contributions to the alliance. &nbsp;

At the same time, Moscow cultivated bilateral ties with key European powers, the Ukrainian misadventure may change the European chessboard. &nbsp;

A massive troop buildup and two major nuclear powers on either side, a lot can go wrong. So, Joe Biden dispatched his top cabinet members to Europe, America's defence and foreign secretaries.

A massive troop buildup and two major nuclear powers on either side, a lot can go wrong. So, Joe Biden dispatched his top cabinet members to Europe, America's defence and foreign secretaries. They are talking to European leaders, holding meetings with the Ukrainians and increasing their military presence in Germany. Will this be enough to ensure a Russian troop withdrawal? Soldiers are at the border, Sukhois in the air and the navy in the Black Sea. Russia's buildup near Ukraine has alarmed the West. America says all this can't be just a training exercise and Europe is equally worried. They fear a serious escalation at the Ukrainian border. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister is meeting NATO officials. Biden's top diplomats have landed in Europe. Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken are holding talks in Brussels, the US secretary of state met with his Ukrainian counterpart and reaffirmed America's support to Ukraine. The US secretary of defence was in Berlin and met his German counterpart. Austin announced that America will increase its military presence in Germany by 500 soldiers. The US has also called off the withdrawal of 12,000 soldiers from Germany. It's a reversal of former president Donald Trump's plans. Russia is watching the shift. It could have implications for a major energy project, the Nord Stream 2. It's a gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. The Biden administration isn't happy about it. Republicans in the US are demanding sanctions against German companies. What will President Biden do? Look the other way, for the moment. Russia is raising the spectre of war against Ukraine. Now is not the time to sanction Germany. The United States and NATO are speaking in one voice. America sees Russia's moves as an opportunity to repair ties with Europe. It's an alliance that was battered under Trump. In his four years as president, Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, slapped tariffs on goods from the European Union and repeatedly questioned NATO members over their contributions to the alliance. At the same time, Moscow cultivated bilateral ties with key European powers, the Ukrainian misadventure may change the European chessboard.

With Russia at Ukraine door, US and EU look for options 

US President Joe Biden has claimed that he has warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Moscow will be facing economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked by his forces.<o:p></o:p>

Biden claims he made it very clear that Russia will be facing economic sanctions ‘like never before’ if Russian forces launch an attack on Ukraine. "I made it very clear if in fact he invades Ukraine there will be severe consequences, severe consequences — economic consequences like none he's ever seen or ever have been seen," Biden told reporters at the White House.<o:p></o:p>

Not just this, the US President also claims that the Russian President received "the message". His warning comes a few hours after the two world leaders met each other in a virtual meeting.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/joe-biden-sending-us-troops-to-ukraine-not-on-cards-russia-ukraine-tensions-435305">WATCH |</a></o:p>

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While Biden has issued such a strong statement against his Russian counterpart to protect Ukraine, he has also added that sending US soldiers to Ukraine to help confront Russia is "not on the table".<o:p></o:p>

"The idea the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia invading Ukraine is not on the cards right now," Biden said. "We have a moral obligation and a legal obligation to our NATO allies under Article Five. It's a sacred obligation. That obligation does not extend to... Ukraine."<o:p></o:p>

"But it would depend upon what the rest of the NATO countries were willing to do as well," Biden added.<o:p></o:p>

Speaking the same tune as his President, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken&nbsp;claims that the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, reiterated a similar message on this topic. The two have "agreed on the need to impose swift and severe costs on Russia if it escalates its aggression in Ukraine," State Department spokesman Ned Price said.<o:p></o:p>

However, Russia has claimed that the troops are marching towards the border as a defensive measure, and not to attack Ukraine. "Russia has a peaceful foreign policy, but has the right to defend its security," Putin said at a news conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. "We cannot but be concerned about the prospect of Ukraine's possible admission to NATO, because this will undoubtedly be followed by the deployment of appropriate military contingents, bases and weapons that threaten us."<o:p></o:p>

France, too, has supported US’ statement on this issue and warned of similar "strategic and massive consequences". The new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, too, warned Putin of consequences in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Russian project to deliver natural gas to Germany, if such an attack takes place.

<o:p>(With inputs from agencies)</o:p>

US President Joe Biden has claimed that he has warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Moscow will be facing economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked by his forces.

US President Joe Biden has claimed that he has warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Moscow will be facing economic sanctions if Ukraine is attacked by his forces. Biden claims he made it very clear that Russia will be facing economic sanctions ‘like never before’ if Russian forces launch an attack on Ukraine. "I made it very clear if in fact he invades Ukraine there will be severe consequences, severe consequences — economic consequences like none he's ever seen or ever have been seen," Biden told reporters at the White House. Not just this, the US President also claims that the Russian President received "the message". His warning comes a few hours after the two world leaders met each other in a virtual meeting. WATCH | While Biden has issued such a strong statement against his Russian counterpart to protect Ukraine, he has also added that sending US soldiers to Ukraine to help confront Russia is "not on the table". "The idea the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia invading Ukraine is not on the cards right now," Biden said. "We have a moral obligation and a legal obligation to our NATO allies under Article Five. It's a sacred obligation. That obligation does not extend to... Ukraine." "But it would depend upon what the rest of the NATO countries were willing to do as well," Biden added. Speaking the same tune as his President, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claims that the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, reiterated a similar message on this topic. The two have "agreed on the need to impose swift and severe costs on Russia if it escalates its aggression in Ukraine," State Department spokesman Ned Price said. However, Russia has claimed that the troops are marching towards the border as a defensive measure, and not to attack Ukraine. "Russia has a peaceful foreign policy, but has the right to defend its security," Putin said at a news conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. "We cannot but be concerned about the prospect of Ukraine's possible admission to NATO, because this will undoubtedly be followed by the deployment of appropriate military contingents, bases and weapons that threaten us." France, too, has supported US’ statement on this issue and warned of similar "strategic and massive consequences". The new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, too, warned Putin of consequences in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the Russian project to deliver natural gas to Germany, if such an attack takes place. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden threatens Russia with 'severe sanctions' if Ukraine is attacked; US troops not to be involved

On the 30th anniversary of the founding of Ukraine’s armed forces this week, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, donned a helmet and flak jacket to tour the trenches and announced with great fanfare the delivery of new tanks, armoured vehicles and ships to front-line units engaged in fighting Russian forces and Kremlin-backed separatists.

While the weapons systems may help to maintain parity in the slow-moving war of attrition that has prevailed for years, neither they nor anything else the Ukrainian military can now muster would be sufficient to repel the full-on Russian assault that Ukrainian and Western officials say Moscow appears to be preparing. With nearly 100,000 troops now massed across Ukraine’s eastern, northern and southern borders and more on the way, even the Ukrainian officials responsible for their country’s defence acknowledge that without a significant influx of resources, their forces do not stand much of a chance.

“Unfortunately, Ukraine needs to be objective at this stage,” said Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service. “There are not sufficient military resources for repelling a full-scale attack by Russia if it begins without the support of Western forces.”

Budanov outlined his nightmare vision of a Russian invasion that would begin with airstrikes and rocket attacks aimed initially at ammunition depots and trench-bound troops. Very quickly, he said, the Ukrainian military would be incapacitated, its leadership unable to coordinate a defence and supply the front. After that, he said, responsibility would fall to front-line commanders to carry on the fight alone.

“They will hold up as long as there are bullets,” Budanov said. “They’ll be able to use what they have in their hands, but believe me without delivery of reserves, there’s not an army in the world that can hold out.”

While Russia could be prepared militarily to launch an invasion of Ukraine as early as January or February, Ukraine and Western intelligence services say there is no indication that Russia President Vladimir Putin has made up his mind whether to do so. In a video call with President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Putin dismissed concerns about the troop buildup on Ukraine’s border, shifting blame to the United States and NATO, which he accused of threatening Russia’s security by supporting Ukraine’s military with arms and training.

“The Russian troops are on their own territory,” an adviser to Putin, Yuri Ushakov, said in a briefing with reporters after the presidents had spoken. “They don’t threaten anyone.”

Still, the amassing of troops and heavy weaponry on the border has forced Ukrainian officials to face some hard truths in recent weeks. The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that Russia has devised plans for an offensive involving 175,000 troops.

Ukraine has only slightly more enlisted soldiers and officers in its entire military, according to the Ministry of Defense. It is outgunned on land, at sea and in the air, with only about 200 aircraft in its air force, including transport vehicles, fewer than the number of fighter planes that Russia has deployed already to the Ukrainian border.

Russia’s forces include battle-ready submarines and frigates in the Black Sea armed with cruise missiles, and land-based units equipped with Iskander-M ballistic missiles, while Ukraine lacks serious missile defence systems. The Russian missiles could wipe out a significant part of the Ukrainian military in less than an hour, said Robert Lee, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and PhD candidate at King’s College in London, who is a Russian military expert.

“If Russia really wants to unleash its conventional capabilities, they could inflict massive damage in a very short period of time,” Lee said. “They can devastate the Ukrainian military in the east really quickly, within the first 30-40 minutes.”

Ukraine’s military is not the pushover it once was. In 2014, elite Russia troops were able to seize the entire Crimean Peninsula in southern Ukraine without firing a shot. When Russian-backed separatists then took over part of eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region, Ukraine had to rely on volunteer brigades of people who took up arms, with little or no military training, to help beat back the insurgency.

But the Ukrainian military clawed its way back, fighting the separatists to a stalemate and putting a stop to the most serious hostilities. It did so with help from Western allies. The United States alone has provided $2.5 billion in military assistance that has included high-tech surveillance and communications equipment and drones. In November, the United States delivered about 88 tons of ammunition, part of a $60 million military aid package pledged by the Biden administration.

On Wednesday, Biden ruled out deploying U.S. forces to Ukraine to deter Russia. But there are more than 150 U.S. military advisers in Ukraine, a combination of U.S. Special Forces and National Guard, currently the Florida National Guard’s 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, according to two U.S. Defense Department officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive troop deployments. About a dozen other NATO countries also have military advisers in Ukraine now, the officials said.

Under the Trump administration, the Ukrainians, for the first time, were given anti-tank Javelin missiles. Ukrainian forces have refrained from firing Javelins on the battlefield, partly from a desire to avoid antagonizing the Kremlin.

The Biden administration has continued to supply them, delivering a new cache of missiles in October. John F. Kirby, a Pentagon spokesperson, said Wednesday that there were no conditions or restrictions placed on the Javelins, except that the Ukrainian forces use them “responsibly” and “in self-defence.”

In an interview with Radio Liberty this month, Gen. Oleksandr Pavlyuk, the commander of the Joint Operation Forces fighting the separatists, said the Javelins had already been deployed to military units in eastern Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian military official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military issues, confirmed that Javelin missiles had been deployed to front-line military units a month ago, but had not yet been fired in battle.

“The Javelins are there, and if our enemies employ tanks they will be used,” the official said.

The Biden administration has remained vague about how else it might come to Ukraine’s defence in case of invasion.

In his video call with Putin on Tuesday, Biden looked his counterpart in the eye and warned the United States would go beyond the economic punishments imposed on Russia after the 2014 seizure of Crimea should Putin decide to order military action, according to an account by Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser. What those penalties might be were left unclear, though few expect the United States to commit significant military assistance beyond what has already been provided.

The lack of firm commitments from Ukraine’s Western backers are a source of consternation for Ukrainian officials.

“They need to decide, either we’re allies as they declare — and in that case allies help one another — or they need to say that this is not exactly the case,” said Budanov, the military intelligence chief. “If the civilized world wants to avoid catastrophe — and this will be a catastrophe for everyone — we need military technical support now, not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, not in year. Now.”

Those who understand that such a level of support is unlikely have begun to speak darkly of popular armed resistance against any Russian occupation. Pavlyuk noted that Ukraine had up to half a million people with military experience. If the West does not come to Ukraine’s aid, he said, “we’ll start a partisan war.”

“Eight years have passed and there are very many people with military experience who are prepared with weapons in their hands to fight,” he said.

One senior Ukrainian military official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that if all else failed, the military would simply open its weapons depots and allow the Ukrainian people to take whatever they need to defend themselves and their families.

On the 30th anniversary of the founding of Ukraine’s armed forces this week, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, donned a helmet and flak jacket to tour the trenches and announced with great fanfare the delivery of new tanks, armoured vehicles and ships to front-line units engaged in fighting Russian forces and Kremlin-backed separatists.

On the 30th anniversary of the founding of Ukraine’s armed forces this week, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, donned a helmet and flak jacket to tour the trenches and announced with great fanfare the delivery of new tanks, armoured vehicles and ships to front-line units engaged in fighting Russian forces and Kremlin-backed separatists. While the weapons systems may help to maintain parity in the slow-moving war of attrition that has prevailed for years, neither they nor anything else the Ukrainian military can now muster would be sufficient to repel the full-on Russian assault that Ukrainian and Western officials say Moscow appears to be preparing. With nearly 100,000 troops now massed across Ukraine’s eastern, northern and southern borders and more on the way, even the Ukrainian officials responsible for their country’s defence acknowledge that without a significant influx of resources, their forces do not stand much of a chance. “Unfortunately, Ukraine needs to be objective at this stage,” said Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service. “There are not sufficient military resources for repelling a full-scale attack by Russia if it begins without the support of Western forces.” Budanov outlined his nightmare vision of a Russian invasion that would begin with airstrikes and rocket attacks aimed initially at ammunition depots and trench-bound troops. Very quickly, he said, the Ukrainian military would be incapacitated, its leadership unable to coordinate a defence and supply the front. After that, he said, responsibility would fall to front-line commanders to carry on the fight alone. “They will hold up as long as there are bullets,” Budanov said. “They’ll be able to use what they have in their hands, but believe me without delivery of reserves, there’s not an army in the world that can hold out.” While Russia could be prepared militarily to launch an invasion of Ukraine as early as January or February, Ukraine and Western intelligence services say there is no indication that Russia President Vladimir Putin has made up his mind whether to do so. In a video call with President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Putin dismissed concerns about the troop buildup on Ukraine’s border, shifting blame to the United States and NATO, which he accused of threatening Russia’s security by supporting Ukraine’s military with arms and training. “The Russian troops are on their own territory,” an adviser to Putin, Yuri Ushakov, said in a briefing with reporters after the presidents had spoken. “They don’t threaten anyone.” Still, the amassing of troops and heavy weaponry on the border has forced Ukrainian officials to face some hard truths in recent weeks. The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that Russia has devised plans for an offensive involving 175,000 troops. Ukraine has only slightly more enlisted soldiers and officers in its entire military, according to the Ministry of Defense. It is outgunned on land, at sea and in the air, with only about 200 aircraft in its air force, including transport vehicles, fewer than the number of fighter planes that Russia has deployed already to the Ukrainian border. Russia’s forces include battle-ready submarines and frigates in the Black Sea armed with cruise missiles, and land-based units equipped with Iskander-M ballistic missiles, while Ukraine lacks serious missile defence systems. The Russian missiles could wipe out a significant part of the Ukrainian military in less than an hour, said Robert Lee, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and PhD candidate at King’s College in London, who is a Russian military expert. “If Russia really wants to unleash its conventional capabilities, they could inflict massive damage in a very short period of time,” Lee said. “They can devastate the Ukrainian military in the east really quickly, within the first 30-40 minutes.” Ukraine’s military is not the pushover it once was. In 2014, elite Russia troops were able to seize the entire Crimean Peninsula in southern Ukraine without firing a shot. When Russian-backed separatists then took over part of eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region, Ukraine had to rely on volunteer brigades of people who took up arms, with little or no military training, to help beat back the insurgency. But the Ukrainian military clawed its way back, fighting the separatists to a stalemate and putting a stop to the most serious hostilities. It did so with help from Western allies. The United States alone has provided $2.5 billion in military assistance that has included high-tech surveillance and communications equipment and drones. In November, the United States delivered about 88 tons of ammunition, part of a $60 million military aid package pledged by the Biden administration. On Wednesday, Biden ruled out deploying U.S. forces to Ukraine to deter Russia. But there are more than 150 U.S. military advisers in Ukraine, a combination of U.S. Special Forces and National Guard, currently the Florida National Guard’s 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, according to two U.S. Defense Department officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive troop deployments. About a dozen other NATO countries also have military advisers in Ukraine now, the officials said. Under the Trump administration, the Ukrainians, for the first time, were given anti-tank Javelin missiles. Ukrainian forces have refrained from firing Javelins on the battlefield, partly from a desire to avoid antagonizing the Kremlin. The Biden administration has continued to supply them, delivering a new cache of missiles in October. John F. Kirby, a Pentagon spokesperson, said Wednesday that there were no conditions or restrictions placed on the Javelins, except that the Ukrainian forces use them “responsibly” and “in self-defence.” In an interview with Radio Liberty this month, Gen. Oleksandr Pavlyuk, the commander of the Joint Operation Forces fighting the separatists, said the Javelins had already been deployed to military units in eastern Ukraine. A senior Ukrainian military official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military issues, confirmed that Javelin missiles had been deployed to front-line military units a month ago, but had not yet been fired in battle. “The Javelins are there, and if our enemies employ tanks they will be used,” the official said. The Biden administration has remained vague about how else it might come to Ukraine’s defence in case of invasion. In his video call with Putin on Tuesday, Biden looked his counterpart in the eye and warned the United States would go beyond the economic punishments imposed on Russia after the 2014 seizure of Crimea should Putin decide to order military action, according to an account by Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser. What those penalties might be were left unclear, though few expect the United States to commit significant military assistance beyond what has already been provided. The lack of firm commitments from Ukraine’s Western backers are a source of consternation for Ukrainian officials. “They need to decide, either we’re allies as they declare — and in that case allies help one another — or they need to say that this is not exactly the case,” said Budanov, the military intelligence chief. “If the civilized world wants to avoid catastrophe — and this will be a catastrophe for everyone — we need military technical support now, not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, not in year. Now.” Those who understand that such a level of support is unlikely have begun to speak darkly of popular armed resistance against any Russian occupation. Pavlyuk noted that Ukraine had up to half a million people with military experience. If the West does not come to Ukraine’s aid, he said, “we’ll start a partisan war.” “Eight years have passed and there are very many people with military experience who are prepared with weapons in their hands to fight,” he said. One senior Ukrainian military official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that if all else failed, the military would simply open its weapons depots and allow the Ukrainian people to take whatever they need to defend themselves and their families.

Ukraine commanders say a Russian invasion would overwhelm them

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that country's armed forces were capable of repelling any attack from Russia. December 6 was Ukraine's national army day.

Zelenskiy visited Donetsk. The region has witnessed combat between Ukrainian and Russian troops in conflict that Ukraine says has killed about 14,000 people. The conflict has been ongoing since 2014.

US President Joe Biden has pledged his "unwavering support" to Ukraine in its standoff with Moscow and will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to try to defuse the crisis.

Ukraine has accused Russia of massing tens of thousands of troops near its border in preparation for a possible large-scale military offensive, raising the prospect of open war between the two neighbors.

Russia has dismissed talk of a new assault on Ukraine as false and inflammatory but told the West not to cross its "red lines" and to halt the eastward expansion of the NATO alliance.

Zelenskiy will later on Monday travel east to Kharkiv, a traditional center for Ukrainian weapons manufacturing, to mark delivery of tanks, armored personal carriers and armored vehicles made in the city's factories.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014, and recently massed troops on the border between the two countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that country's armed forces were capable of repelling any attack from Russia. December 6 was Ukraine's national army day.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that country's armed forces were capable of repelling any attack from Russia. December 6 was Ukraine's national army day. Zelenskiy visited Donetsk. The region has witnessed combat between Ukrainian and Russian troops in conflict that Ukraine says has killed about 14,000 people. The conflict has been ongoing since 2014. US President Joe Biden has pledged his "unwavering support" to Ukraine in its standoff with Moscow and will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to try to defuse the crisis. Ukraine has accused Russia of massing tens of thousands of troops near its border in preparation for a possible large-scale military offensive, raising the prospect of open war between the two neighbors. Russia has dismissed talk of a new assault on Ukraine as false and inflammatory but told the West not to cross its "red lines" and to halt the eastward expansion of the NATO alliance. Zelenskiy will later on Monday travel east to Kharkiv, a traditional center for Ukrainian weapons manufacturing, to mark delivery of tanks, armored personal carriers and armored vehicles made in the city's factories. Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014, and recently massed troops on the border between the two countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian army capable of repelling Russians, says Ukraine president

President Putin on Friday took aim at Ukraine for deploying Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles produced by Turkey during a call with Turkey's President Erdogan as tensions continued at the Russian-Ukraine border.

US President Joe Biden declared his administration was putting together the "most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives" to make it "very, very difficult for Mr. Putin to go ahead and do what people are worried he may do" referring to Ukraine.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-will-happen-if-russian-troops-invade-ukraine-431684">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine?&nbsp;</a>

Biden informed that US government officials were in touch with European allies over the situation at the Ukraine border.&nbsp;

The move comes even as President Putin is set to speak to the US president over a video link next week. Kremlin announced that the date has been agreed but a formal announcement would be made after confirmation from the US side.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/whats-behind-putins-unpreventable-strike-gambit-russias-new-s-500-missile-defence-system-400849">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;What's behind Putin's 'unpreventable strike' gambit</a>

Kyiv has alleged Russia has positioned over 100,000 troops along the border even as Putin has asserted the country has no plans to invade Ukraine and that Russian troops can move around freely anywhere inside its territory.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-russia-tested-s-400-missiles-in-crimea-amid-operation-sea-breeze-in-ukraine-395351">Also Read:&nbsp;Why Russia tested S-400 missiles in Crimea amid operation Sea Breeze in Ukraine</a>

Amid tensions, Ukraine's defence minister declared that Russia was ready for escalation in January raising fears of an invasion while informing that the Putin regime had launched exercises along the border and had started "winter training".

The Biden administration had declared earlier that it had evidence that Russia was set to attack Ukraine despite Kremlin's denial.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

President Putin on Friday took aim at Ukraine for deploying Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles produced by Turkey during a call with Turkey's President Erdogan as tensions continued at the Russian-Ukraine border.

President Putin on Friday took aim at Ukraine for deploying Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles produced by Turkey during a call with Turkey's President Erdogan as tensions continued at the Russian-Ukraine border. US President Joe Biden declared his administration was putting together the "most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives" to make it "very, very difficult for Mr. Putin to go ahead and do what people are worried he may do" referring to Ukraine. Also Read in Pics: What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine? Biden informed that US government officials were in touch with European allies over the situation at the Ukraine border. The move comes even as President Putin is set to speak to the US president over a video link next week. Kremlin announced that the date has been agreed but a formal announcement would be made after confirmation from the US side. Also Read in Pics: What's behind Putin's 'unpreventable strike' gambit Kyiv has alleged Russia has positioned over 100,000 troops along the border even as Putin has asserted the country has no plans to invade Ukraine and that Russian troops can move around freely anywhere inside its territory. Also Read: Why Russia tested S-400 missiles in Crimea amid operation Sea Breeze in Ukraine Amid tensions, Ukraine's defence minister declared that Russia was ready for escalation in January raising fears of an invasion while informing that the Putin regime had launched exercises along the border and had started "winter training". The Biden administration had declared earlier that it had evidence that Russia was set to attack Ukraine despite Kremlin's denial. (With inputs from Agencies)

Biden prepares plan to protect Ukraine; Putin slams drone deployment at border

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday warned&nbsp;his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov of consequences if Russia did not seek diplomatic resolution over situation with Ukraine.

"The best way to avert the crisis is through diplomacy, and that's what I look forward to discussing with Sergei," Blinken told reporters before going into talks with Lavrov. 
&nbsp;&nbsp; 
He said Russia and Ukraine should each fully implement their obligations under the 2014 Minsk peace process, which was designed to end a war between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces in the east of the former Soviet republic.

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Russia's massing of troops along border with Ukraine has caused alarm among the Western powers. Deployment of Russian troops has stoked tensions. The long running conflict has already left 13,000 dead.

"We have deep concerns about the aggressive posture that Russia has taken once again towards Ukraine," Blinken told reporters on Thursday after meeting Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Stockholm.

Kuleba said his country would "demonstrate restraint" but called on its partners to "prepare a deterrence package" that would make Russia think twice before resorting to military force.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-military-officials-of-us-china-to-meet-over-rising-incursions-in-taiwan-433522">Top military officials of US, China to meet over rising incursions in Taiwan</a>

The Kremlin said Ukraine's stated goal of retaking Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, amounted to a "direct threat" to Russia.

US, Russia and Ukraine were all in Stockholm on Thursday for a meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), one of the few international dialogue forums to which both the US and Russia belong.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Blinken said Russia was trying to "destabilise Ukraine from within as well as large scale military operations".

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Russian troops ready to invade Ukraine?

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He said it was not known whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had decided to invade, but added: "We do know that he's putting in place the capacity to do so on short order, should he so decide."

Blinken warned there would be "far-reaching and long-lasting consequences" for Moscow if it pushed ahead with any aggression.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday warned his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov of consequences if Russia did not seek diplomatic resolution over situation with Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday warned his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov of consequences if Russia did not seek diplomatic resolution over situation with Ukraine. "The best way to avert the crisis is through diplomacy, and that's what I look forward to discussing with Sergei," Blinken told reporters before going into talks with Lavrov. He said Russia and Ukraine should each fully implement their obligations under the 2014 Minsk peace process, which was designed to end a war between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces in the east of the former Soviet republic. × Russia's massing of troops along border with Ukraine has caused alarm among the Western powers. Deployment of Russian troops has stoked tensions. The long running conflict has already left 13,000 dead. "We have deep concerns about the aggressive posture that Russia has taken once again towards Ukraine," Blinken told reporters on Thursday after meeting Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Stockholm. Kuleba said his country would "demonstrate restraint" but called on its partners to "prepare a deterrence package" that would make Russia think twice before resorting to military force. Also Read | Top military officials of US, China to meet over rising incursions in Taiwan The Kremlin said Ukraine's stated goal of retaking Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, amounted to a "direct threat" to Russia. US, Russia and Ukraine were all in Stockholm on Thursday for a meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), one of the few international dialogue forums to which both the US and Russia belong. On Wednesday, Blinken said Russia was trying to "destabilise Ukraine from within as well as large scale military operations". Watch | Gravitas: Russian troops ready to invade Ukraine? He said it was not known whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had decided to invade, but added: "We do know that he's putting in place the capacity to do so on short order, should he so decide." Blinken warned there would be "far-reaching and long-lasting consequences" for Moscow if it pushed ahead with any aggression. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine: Choose diplomacy or face consequences, Blinken tells Russia's Lavrov

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that Russia would be forced to act if "red lines" on Ukraine were crossed by NATO. Putin said that deployment of certain offensive missile capabilities on Ukrainian soil would be seen as a trigger by Russia.

Putin was speaking at an investment forum in Moscow. He said he hoped common sense would prevail on all sides. He added that he wanted NATO to be aware of Russia's security concerns around Ukraine.

"If some kind of strike systems appear on the territory of Ukraine, the flight time to Moscow will be 7-10 minutes, and five minutes in the case of a hypersonic weapon being deployed. Just imagine," said Putin.

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"What are we to do in such a scenario? We will have to then create something similar in relation to those who threaten us in that way. And we can do that now."

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-urges-swift-action-says-russian-military-operation-could-be-launched-in-the-blink-of-an-eye-432881">Ukraine urges swift action, says Russian military operation could be launched 'in the blink of an eye'</a>

Putin mentioned that Russia had just successfully tested a new sea-based hypersonic missile. He said that the hypersonic missiles would be in service at the start of the new year. &nbsp;

The Russian leader, who questioned why NATO had ignored repeated Russian warnings and expanded its military infrastructure eastwards, singled out the deployment in Poland and Romania of the Aegis Ashore missile defence system.

He made it clear he did not want to see the same launch MK41 systems, which Russia has long complained can be used to also launch offensive Tomahawk cruise missiles, in Ukraine.

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"Creating such threats (in Ukraine) would be red lines for us. But I hope it doesn't come to that. I hope that a sense of common sense, responsibility for both our countries and the world community will prevail," said Putin.

Earlier on Tuesday, the United States and Britain warned Russia over any new military aggression against Ukraine as NATO met to discuss why Russia had moved troops closer to its southern neighbour.

The Kremlin annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and then backed rebels fighting government troops in the east of the country. That conflict has killed 14,000 people, according to Kyiv, and is still simmering.

Two Russian troop build-ups this year on Ukraine's borders have alarmed the West. In May, Russian troops there numbered 100,000, the largest since its takeover of Crimea, Western officials say.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that Russia would be forced to act if "red lines" on Ukraine were crossed by NATO. Putin said that deployment of certain offensive missile capabilities on Ukrainian soil would be seen as a trigger by Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said that Russia would be forced to act if "red lines" on Ukraine were crossed by NATO. Putin said that deployment of certain offensive missile capabilities on Ukrainian soil would be seen as a trigger by Russia. Putin was speaking at an investment forum in Moscow. He said he hoped common sense would prevail on all sides. He added that he wanted NATO to be aware of Russia's security concerns around Ukraine. "If some kind of strike systems appear on the territory of Ukraine, the flight time to Moscow will be 7-10 minutes, and five minutes in the case of a hypersonic weapon being deployed. Just imagine," said Putin. × "What are we to do in such a scenario? We will have to then create something similar in relation to those who threaten us in that way. And we can do that now." Also Read: Ukraine urges swift action, says Russian military operation could be launched 'in the blink of an eye' Putin mentioned that Russia had just successfully tested a new sea-based hypersonic missile. He said that the hypersonic missiles would be in service at the start of the new year. The Russian leader, who questioned why NATO had ignored repeated Russian warnings and expanded its military infrastructure eastwards, singled out the deployment in Poland and Romania of the Aegis Ashore missile defence system. He made it clear he did not want to see the same launch MK41 systems, which Russia has long complained can be used to also launch offensive Tomahawk cruise missiles, in Ukraine. Also Read: UK spy chief warns that Russian, Chinese race for AI mastery might change geopolitics "Creating such threats (in Ukraine) would be red lines for us. But I hope it doesn't come to that. I hope that a sense of common sense, responsibility for both our countries and the world community will prevail," said Putin. Earlier on Tuesday, the United States and Britain warned Russia over any new military aggression against Ukraine as NATO met to discuss why Russia had moved troops closer to its southern neighbour. The Kremlin annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and then backed rebels fighting government troops in the east of the country. That conflict has killed 14,000 people, according to Kyiv, and is still simmering. Two Russian troop build-ups this year on Ukraine's borders have alarmed the West. In May, Russian troops there numbered 100,000, the largest since its takeover of Crimea, Western officials say. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia to act if NATO crosses red lines in Ukraine, says Putin

Kremlin on Monday said that it was alarmed by US-backed push to supply arms to Ukraine and claimed that reports in US media about Russia planning to attack Ukraine were disinformation campaign.&nbsp;

Ukraine's military intelligence has told Military Times news outlet that more than 92,000 Russian troops were massed around Ukraine's borders and were preparing to attack latest by early February.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence said such an attack would probably involve air strikes, artillery and armoured attacks followed by airborne assaults in the east, amphibious assaults in Odessa and Mariupol, and a smaller incursion through Belarus.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea of a possible Russian attack and said that Moscow itself was being targeted in a disinformation campaign.

"This is whipping up tension and is another attempt to present Russia as the one threatening the process of settling the situation (in eastern Ukraine)." said Peskov.

"And of course we cannot rule out that this is cover for aggressive dreams that Kyiv may have. I mean aggressive dreams about a possible desire to solve the problem in the south-east by force."

Ukraine's ties with Russia collapsed in 2014 after Moscow backed separatists who seized a swath of eastern Ukraine, territory that Kyiv says it wants back. Russia also annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula that same year.

Peskov accused Ukraine of what he said were provocative actions.

"Kyiv is itself building up its forces, Kyiv is being helped to build up its forces, Kyiv is being supplied with a significant amount of weapons, including modern high-tech weapons," Peskov told reporters.

"And we are observing this with great alarm, knowing the significant influence of extreme-minded politicians in Ukraine," he said.

Ukraine says it is upgrading its combat capabilities to defend itself against new possible Russian aggression.

(With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin on Monday said that it was alarmed by US-backed push to supply arms to Ukraine and claimed that reports in US media about Russia planning to attack Ukraine were disinformation campaign.

Kremlin on Monday said that it was alarmed by US-backed push to supply arms to Ukraine and claimed that reports in US media about Russia planning to attack Ukraine were disinformation campaign. Ukraine's military intelligence has told Military Times news outlet that more than 92,000 Russian troops were massed around Ukraine's borders and were preparing to attack latest by early February. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's military intelligence said such an attack would probably involve air strikes, artillery and armoured attacks followed by airborne assaults in the east, amphibious assaults in Odessa and Mariupol, and a smaller incursion through Belarus. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea of a possible Russian attack and said that Moscow itself was being targeted in a disinformation campaign. "This is whipping up tension and is another attempt to present Russia as the one threatening the process of settling the situation (in eastern Ukraine)." said Peskov. "And of course we cannot rule out that this is cover for aggressive dreams that Kyiv may have. I mean aggressive dreams about a possible desire to solve the problem in the south-east by force." Ukraine's ties with Russia collapsed in 2014 after Moscow backed separatists who seized a swath of eastern Ukraine, territory that Kyiv says it wants back. Russia also annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula that same year. Peskov accused Ukraine of what he said were provocative actions. "Kyiv is itself building up its forces, Kyiv is being helped to build up its forces, Kyiv is being supplied with a significant amount of weapons, including modern high-tech weapons," Peskov told reporters. "And we are observing this with great alarm, knowing the significant influence of extreme-minded politicians in Ukraine," he said. Ukraine says it is upgrading its combat capabilities to defend itself against new possible Russian aggression. (With inputs from agencies)

Alarmed by US arms push for Ukraine, says Kremlin

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed "real concerns" about Russia's statements and actions on Ukraine. He was speaking with reporters on a visit to Senegal.

"We have real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity on the border with Ukraine. We have real concerns about some of the rhetoric we have been seeing and hearing from Russia as well as in social media," Blinken told reporters on a visit to Senegal.

He declined to clearly say whether US intelligence believed Russian President Putin was making plans to seize land from Ukraine.

"We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past. We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along," Blinken said.&nbsp;

He was referring to the crisis that erupted in 2014 when Russia, following the toppling of a Ukrainian government that had resisted moves towards the West, seized the Crimea peninsula and backed separatists waging a conflict in Ukraine's largely Russian-speaking east.

Putin on Thursday accused Western nations of escalation the Ukraine conflict by holding drills in the Black Sea and flying bombers near its borders.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed "real concerns" about Russia's statements and actions on Ukraine. He was speaking with reporters on a visit to Senegal.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed "real concerns" about Russia's statements and actions on Ukraine. He was speaking with reporters on a visit to Senegal. "We have real concerns about Russia's unusual military activity on the border with Ukraine. We have real concerns about some of the rhetoric we have been seeing and hearing from Russia as well as in social media," Blinken told reporters on a visit to Senegal. He declined to clearly say whether US intelligence believed Russian President Putin was making plans to seize land from Ukraine. "We don't know what President Putin's intentions are. But we do know what's happened in the past. We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along," Blinken said. He was referring to the crisis that erupted in 2014 when Russia, following the toppling of a Ukrainian government that had resisted moves towards the West, seized the Crimea peninsula and backed separatists waging a conflict in Ukraine's largely Russian-speaking east. Putin on Thursday accused Western nations of escalation the Ukraine conflict by holding drills in the Black Sea and flying bombers near its borders. (With inputs from agencies)

Blinken expresses 'real concerns' over Russia on Ukraine

The "Rapid Trident" military international military drills continued in Ukraine with fifteen countries gathered for the joint exercises.

One of the first drills included the simulation of the liberation of a captured town from hybrid extremist groups.

The joint multinational unit of the armed forces of Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland are involved in the exercise with over 6,000 servicemen including around 150 representatives from the US armed forces taking part in the drills.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-engaged-in-new-cold-war-with-rivals-china-and-russia-say-most-europeans-in-poll-414905">Also Read:&nbsp;US engaged in new cold war with rivals China and Russia, say most Europeans in poll &nbsp;</a>

Ukraine which is at war with Russia-backed separatists since 2014 began hosting the joint military exercises with the US and other NATO troops on Monday.&nbsp;

Ukraine has been seeking integration with NATO in order to thwart Russia's military power on its border. The relations between Ukraine and Russia have been on the edge since 2014 when the Russian military annexed Crimea.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-military-spotted-near-ukraine-border-after-us-warning-376922">Also Read: Russian military spotted near Ukraine border after US warning</a>

The drills are set to last until October 1. The US said the exercise was meant to "enhance interoperability among allied and partner nations".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-to-review-russian-military-might-as-tensions-with-west-soar-383768">Also Read:&nbsp;Putin to review Russian military might as tensions with West soar&nbsp;</a>

The exercise comes after Russia staged a drill near EU borders of Russia and Belarus recently which Moscow said involved at least 200,000 troops even as nearly 20 Russian warships began large-scale live-fire exercises in the Black Sea on Monday.

The drills have become a major point of friction between Ukraine and Russia as Moscow&nbsp;gathered thousands of troops on Ukraine's border in April as tensions escalated in the region. Putin's regime however pulled back troops later.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

The "Rapid Trident" military international military drills continued in Ukraine with fifteen countries gathered for the joint exercises. One of the first drills included the simulation of the liberation of a captured town from hybrid extremist groups.

The "Rapid Trident" military international military drills continued in Ukraine with fifteen countries gathered for the joint exercises. One of the first drills included the simulation of the liberation of a captured town from hybrid extremist groups. The joint multinational unit of the armed forces of Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland are involved in the exercise with over 6,000 servicemen including around 150 representatives from the US armed forces taking part in the drills. Also Read: US engaged in new cold war with rivals China and Russia, say most Europeans in poll Ukraine which is at war with Russia-backed separatists since 2014 began hosting the joint military exercises with the US and other NATO troops on Monday. Ukraine has been seeking integration with NATO in order to thwart Russia's military power on its border. The relations between Ukraine and Russia have been on the edge since 2014 when the Russian military annexed Crimea. Also Read: Russian military spotted near Ukraine border after US warning The drills are set to last until October 1. The US said the exercise was meant to "enhance interoperability among allied and partner nations". Also Read: Putin to review Russian military might as tensions with West soar The exercise comes after Russia staged a drill near EU borders of Russia and Belarus recently which Moscow said involved at least 200,000 troops even as nearly 20 Russian warships began large-scale live-fire exercises in the Black Sea on Monday. The drills have become a major point of friction between Ukraine and Russia as Moscow gathered thousands of troops on Ukraine's border in April as tensions escalated in the region. Putin's regime however pulled back troops later. (With inputs from Agencies)

Ukraine conducts international military excercise amid tensions with Russia

In a fresh escalation in war of words towards Ukraine, Russia on Thursday said that Ukraine was moving heavy artillery towards front line where pro-Russian separatists are fighting with Ukrainian forces. Russia also accused Ukraine of failing to engage in peace process.

The remarks came from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The words gave no sign that Moscow is willing to tone down its bitter criticism of Ukraine despite a two-hour call this week between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden.

"Negotiations on a peaceful settlement have practically hit a dead end," Zakharova told reporters, referring to the seven-year conflict between Ukrainian and separatist forces in the eastern Donbass region.

The ministry's Twitter feed, quoting Zakharova, said: "With the support of NATO countries pumping the country with weapons, Kyiv is building up its contingent on the line of contact in Donbass."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-commanders-say-a-russian-invasion-would-overwhelm-them-435579">Ukraine commanders say a Russian invasion would overwhelm them</a>

She said Ukraine was only "imitating" the process of fulfilling its obligations under the 2014 and 2015 Minsk accords designed to end the conflict.

There was no immediate response from the Ukrainian side. Kyiv has denied Russian accusations it plans to seize back territory by force and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said this week that he was hopeful of reaching a new ceasefire deal.

Tuesday's US-Russian call was dominated by tensions over Ukraine, with Biden voicing concern about a Russian military build-up near the border and telling Putin that Moscow would face serious economic consequences if it invaded.

Putin has said talk of an invasion is "provocative" and accused Ukraine and NATO of fanning tensions.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a fresh escalation in war of words towards Ukraine, Russia on Thursday said that Ukraine was moving heavy artillery towards front line where pro-Russian separatists are fighting with Ukrainian forces.

In a fresh escalation in war of words towards Ukraine, Russia on Thursday said that Ukraine was moving heavy artillery towards front line where pro-Russian separatists are fighting with Ukrainian forces. Russia also accused Ukraine of failing to engage in peace process. The remarks came from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The words gave no sign that Moscow is willing to tone down its bitter criticism of Ukraine despite a two-hour call this week between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden. "Negotiations on a peaceful settlement have practically hit a dead end," Zakharova told reporters, referring to the seven-year conflict between Ukrainian and separatist forces in the eastern Donbass region. The ministry's Twitter feed, quoting Zakharova, said: "With the support of NATO countries pumping the country with weapons, Kyiv is building up its contingent on the line of contact in Donbass." Also Read | Ukraine commanders say a Russian invasion would overwhelm them She said Ukraine was only "imitating" the process of fulfilling its obligations under the 2014 and 2015 Minsk accords designed to end the conflict. There was no immediate response from the Ukrainian side. Kyiv has denied Russian accusations it plans to seize back territory by force and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said this week that he was hopeful of reaching a new ceasefire deal. Tuesday's US-Russian call was dominated by tensions over Ukraine, with Biden voicing concern about a Russian military build-up near the border and telling Putin that Moscow would face serious economic consequences if it invaded. Putin has said talk of an invasion is "provocative" and accused Ukraine and NATO of fanning tensions. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine moved heavy artillery towards conflict zone, alleges Russia

It is a sign of the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine that for a few hours this week, а meandering, half-century-old Ukrainian naval ship seemed like it could spark a worrisome military escalation.

The ship, according to Ukrainian officials, was unarmed and involved in a simple training exercise Thursday in a small but strategic waterway bordered by Ukraine to the west and Russia to the east. It seemed to be primarily an example of the Ukrainian navy’s decrepitude, although it’s possible that Ukraine, too, could have been trying to push the boundaries and provoke Russia.

Either way, the Russian security services and state news media quickly seized on the encounter, portraying it as an imminent threat.

Russia’s domestic spy service, the FSB, announced late in the evening that it had intercepted the ship for failing to obey orders. That set off the Kremlin’s propagandists, who played up the move as a prelude to war. RT, a Russian government television station, began livestreaming coverage on YouTube under the headline “UKRAINIAN PROVOCATION,” with a military analyst suggesting the ship should be blown out of the water.

“This is the provocation everyone has been waiting for,” Andrei Medvedev, an RT contributor wrote.

In the end, it was not, as the vessel returned to port without incident.

A lumbering ship may not yet be enough to provoke a full-on Russian assault. But with Moscow having amassed nearly 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, along with tanks, fighter aircraft and ballistic missiles, people on all sides of the conflict are jumpy.

The brief flare-up not only underscores the dangers inherent in the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists, but also suggests that the situation remains volatile even after a video call this week between President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin of Russia aimed at ratcheting down tensions.

Putin’s rhetoric on Ukraine has become increasingly ominous. And Ukrainian troops are arrayed along a 250-mile barricade of trenches and fortifications that regularly erupts in machine gun and artillery fire as they face off against the separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine.

Much is riding on diplomatic efforts in the next days and weeks, experts said.

“I think that it’s obviously tense, but it’s not like we’re ready to roll,” said Eugene Rumer, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Rumer raised the possibility that, once Russia makes the decision to invade, it could use a minor incident as justification.

“If Putin realizes this conversation with Biden is not going anywhere, that he’s not getting what he wants, that this is hopeless, then I can imagine that a drone incident or a shell that somebody lobs could provide the pretext to pull the trigger,” he said.

Indeed, the decision by the FSB to intercept a seemingly harmless ship, combined with the furious reaction from the Kremlin’s propagandists, has unnerved Ukrainian and Western officials, who fear that it serves as a model for how the Kremlin could use a contrived excuse to invade.

Ukrainian observers said they found the timing of the FSB’s announcement suspicious. It came out around the time the government released the details of a telephone call between Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Biden.

In a statement on Twitter, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv delivered an unusually pointed response, saying that the Ukrainian ship did nothing illegal and accusing the Russian government of intentionally ginning up a controversy.

“Russia’s false allegations are part of its ongoing campaign to distract from its latest aggressive, provocative action,” the embassy wrote.

The ship — ironically named Donbass, the heart of the separatist territory — was intercepted in the Sea of Azov near the Kerch Strait, a narrow passage near Russian-occupied Crimea over which Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly clashed. In 2018, Russian forces opened fire on several Ukrainian naval vessels and arrested a number of sailors, whom they accused of straying into territorial waters that the Kremlin claimed as its own after the annexation of Crimea.

The FSB said the Donbass had refused to obey orders to divert from a course leading to the Kerch Strait. “These actions represent a threat to the safety of navigation,” its statement said.

According to Ukrainian officials, the ship never came closer than 18 nautical miles from the disputed waterway.

Ukrainian and Western officials say that Russian authorities, including Putin, seem to be previewing their rationalizations for an invasion. This month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Russia had “intensified disinformation to paint Ukraine as the aggressor to justify pre-planned military action.”

These efforts appeared to continue even after the video call between Putin and Biden.

In defiance of all evidence to the contrary, Putin on Thursday accused Ukrainian authorities of carrying out “a genocide” against the residents of the Donbass. Although civilians in the separatist territories live under the protection of Russian-backed military forces, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and one of the Kremlin’s chief propagandists, immediately amplified the claims, suggesting she hoped Russia would come to the residents’ rescue.

“Mother Russia has more than once saved millions from different forms of genocide,” she wrote on Telegram.

“I don’t know if he had that in mind,” she said of Putin, “but I certainly hope he did.”

The bellicose statements come against the backdrop of continuing violence along the so-called line of control separating Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. On Thursday, two Ukrainian service members were wounded in attacks on front-line positions, the country’s military press service reported.

Meanwhile, the buildup of Russian troops on the border shows no sign of abating. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that tank divisions from the western military district had practiced taking out anti-tank rockets similar to the Javelins provided by the United States and now deployed by Ukrainian forces in the country’s east. The exercises were held at training grounds in the Voronezh region, less than 200 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border.

Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, warned in remarks to military attachés Thursday that worsening tensions in the region could force Russia to respond. In his statement, he specifically mentioned Russia’s opposition to the Javelins, which Ukrainian forces have not yet used on the battlefield, as well as Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, which have been used to attack separatists positions.

“Any provocation by the Ukrainian authorities to solve the problems of Donbass using force will be suppressed,” he said.

It is a sign of the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine that for a few hours this week, а meandering, half-century-old Ukrainian naval ship seemed like it could spark a worrisome military escalation.

It is a sign of the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine that for a few hours this week, а meandering, half-century-old Ukrainian naval ship seemed like it could spark a worrisome military escalation. The ship, according to Ukrainian officials, was unarmed and involved in a simple training exercise Thursday in a small but strategic waterway bordered by Ukraine to the west and Russia to the east. It seemed to be primarily an example of the Ukrainian navy’s decrepitude, although it’s possible that Ukraine, too, could have been trying to push the boundaries and provoke Russia. Either way, the Russian security services and state news media quickly seized on the encounter, portraying it as an imminent threat. Russia’s domestic spy service, the FSB, announced late in the evening that it had intercepted the ship for failing to obey orders. That set off the Kremlin’s propagandists, who played up the move as a prelude to war. RT, a Russian government television station, began livestreaming coverage on YouTube under the headline “UKRAINIAN PROVOCATION,” with a military analyst suggesting the ship should be blown out of the water. “This is the provocation everyone has been waiting for,” Andrei Medvedev, an RT contributor wrote. In the end, it was not, as the vessel returned to port without incident. A lumbering ship may not yet be enough to provoke a full-on Russian assault. But with Moscow having amassed nearly 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, along with tanks, fighter aircraft and ballistic missiles, people on all sides of the conflict are jumpy. The brief flare-up not only underscores the dangers inherent in the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists, but also suggests that the situation remains volatile even after a video call this week between President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin of Russia aimed at ratcheting down tensions. Putin’s rhetoric on Ukraine has become increasingly ominous. And Ukrainian troops are arrayed along a 250-mile barricade of trenches and fortifications that regularly erupts in machine gun and artillery fire as they face off against the separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. Much is riding on diplomatic efforts in the next days and weeks, experts said. “I think that it’s obviously tense, but it’s not like we’re ready to roll,” said Eugene Rumer, director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Rumer raised the possibility that, once Russia makes the decision to invade, it could use a minor incident as justification. “If Putin realizes this conversation with Biden is not going anywhere, that he’s not getting what he wants, that this is hopeless, then I can imagine that a drone incident or a shell that somebody lobs could provide the pretext to pull the trigger,” he said. Indeed, the decision by the FSB to intercept a seemingly harmless ship, combined with the furious reaction from the Kremlin’s propagandists, has unnerved Ukrainian and Western officials, who fear that it serves as a model for how the Kremlin could use a contrived excuse to invade. Ukrainian observers said they found the timing of the FSB’s announcement suspicious. It came out around the time the government released the details of a telephone call between Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Biden. In a statement on Twitter, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv delivered an unusually pointed response, saying that the Ukrainian ship did nothing illegal and accusing the Russian government of intentionally ginning up a controversy. “Russia’s false allegations are part of its ongoing campaign to distract from its latest aggressive, provocative action,” the embassy wrote. The ship — ironically named Donbass, the heart of the separatist territory — was intercepted in the Sea of Azov near the Kerch Strait, a narrow passage near Russian-occupied Crimea over which Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly clashed. In 2018, Russian forces opened fire on several Ukrainian naval vessels and arrested a number of sailors, whom they accused of straying into territorial waters that the Kremlin claimed as its own after the annexation of Crimea. The FSB said the Donbass had refused to obey orders to divert from a course leading to the Kerch Strait. “These actions represent a threat to the safety of navigation,” its statement said. According to Ukrainian officials, the ship never came closer than 18 nautical miles from the disputed waterway. Ukrainian and Western officials say that Russian authorities, including Putin, seem to be previewing their rationalizations for an invasion. This month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Russia had “intensified disinformation to paint Ukraine as the aggressor to justify pre-planned military action.” These efforts appeared to continue even after the video call between Putin and Biden. In defiance of all evidence to the contrary, Putin on Thursday accused Ukrainian authorities of carrying out “a genocide” against the residents of the Donbass. Although civilians in the separatist territories live under the protection of Russian-backed military forces, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT and one of the Kremlin’s chief propagandists, immediately amplified the claims, suggesting she hoped Russia would come to the residents’ rescue. “Mother Russia has more than once saved millions from different forms of genocide,” she wrote on Telegram. “I don’t know if he had that in mind,” she said of Putin, “but I certainly hope he did.” The bellicose statements come against the backdrop of continuing violence along the so-called line of control separating Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. On Thursday, two Ukrainian service members were wounded in attacks on front-line positions, the country’s military press service reported. Meanwhile, the buildup of Russian troops on the border shows no sign of abating. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that tank divisions from the western military district had practiced taking out anti-tank rockets similar to the Javelins provided by the United States and now deployed by Ukrainian forces in the country’s east. The exercises were held at training grounds in the Voronezh region, less than 200 miles from the Russia-Ukraine border. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, warned in remarks to military attachés Thursday that worsening tensions in the region could force Russia to respond. In his statement, he specifically mentioned Russia’s opposition to the Javelins, which Ukrainian forces have not yet used on the battlefield, as well as Turkish-made Bayraktar drones, which have been used to attack separatists positions. “Any provocation by the Ukrainian authorities to solve the problems of Donbass using force will be suppressed,” he said.

Russia-Ukraine sea encounter highlights jittery nerves in the region

As fresh tensions build up between the US and Russia over reported military build-up near Ukraine border, Moscow on Saturday clarified that President Vladimir Putin has no plans to launch an offensive against the neighbouring country,&nbsp;news agency ANI reported.

Speaking to Greek TV channel ANT1, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that purported military build-up near its borders was in response to US military’s presence in Ukraine.

When asked whether Putin was planning to carry out an attack on Ukraine Peskov was quoted as saying, "No, the problem is very simple".

He added, "Russia is moving its forces within its territory, and we can move our forces in any direction we want and closer to the areas that could pose a threat [and currently] we see US warplanes landing in Ukraine and US military equipment approaching our borders.”&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-warns-russia-on-strategic-mistake-over-military-action-in-ukraine-436071">UK warns Russia on 'strategic mistake' over military action in Ukraine</a>

Peskov’s response came a week after US intelligence officials claimed that Russia was planning for a possible military offensive against Ukraine “that could begin as soon as early 2022 and would include an estimated 1,75,000 personnel”.

The new intelligence finding estimates that half of the Russian personnel are already deployed along various points near Ukraine's border, news agency AP quoted a Biden administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-will-happen-if-russian-troops-invade-ukraine-431684">Read in Pics:&nbsp;What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine?</a>

Earlier on Friday, US President Joe Biden said that he would make it “very, very difficult” for Russia to launch any invasion of Ukraine, which warned that a large-scale attack could be planned for next month.

The US president told reporters he was putting together “the most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives to make it very, very difficult for Mr Putin to go ahead and do what people are worried he may do”.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-chief-jens-stoltenberg-turns-down-russias-demand-to-deny-ukraine-entry-436007">Also Read:&nbsp;NATO chief&nbsp;turns down Russia's demand to deny Ukraine entry</a>

Moscow seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and has since backed separatists fighting Kyiv in the east of the country. The conflict has left more than 13,000 dead.

(With inputs from agencies)

As fresh tensions build up between the US and Russia over reported military build-up near Ukraine border, Moscow on Saturday clarified that President Vladimir Putin has no plans to launch an offensive against the neighbouring country, news agency ANI reported.

As fresh tensions build up between the US and Russia over reported military build-up near Ukraine border, Moscow on Saturday clarified that President Vladimir Putin has no plans to launch an offensive against the neighbouring country, news agency ANI reported. Speaking to Greek TV channel ANT1, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that purported military build-up near its borders was in response to US military’s presence in Ukraine. When asked whether Putin was planning to carry out an attack on Ukraine Peskov was quoted as saying, "No, the problem is very simple". He added, "Russia is moving its forces within its territory, and we can move our forces in any direction we want and closer to the areas that could pose a threat [and currently] we see US warplanes landing in Ukraine and US military equipment approaching our borders.” Also read | UK warns Russia on 'strategic mistake' over military action in Ukraine Peskov’s response came a week after US intelligence officials claimed that Russia was planning for a possible military offensive against Ukraine “that could begin as soon as early 2022 and would include an estimated 1,75,000 personnel”. The new intelligence finding estimates that half of the Russian personnel are already deployed along various points near Ukraine's border, news agency AP quoted a Biden administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Read in Pics: What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine? Earlier on Friday, US President Joe Biden said that he would make it “very, very difficult” for Russia to launch any invasion of Ukraine, which warned that a large-scale attack could be planned for next month. The US president told reporters he was putting together “the most comprehensive and meaningful set of initiatives to make it very, very difficult for Mr Putin to go ahead and do what people are worried he may do”. Also Read: NATO chief turns down Russia's demand to deny Ukraine entry Moscow seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and has since backed separatists fighting Kyiv in the east of the country. The conflict has left more than 13,000 dead. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine row: US military equipment approaching our borders, says Russia while admitting own troop buildup

Ukraine gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been on the boil since the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Recently, the hostilities re-emerged over situation in Ukraine's Donbass region and Russian troop build-up on Ukraine-Russia border.

On March 26, four Ukrainian soldiers were killed by pro-Russian separatists. The killings contravened a ceasefire brokered in 2020 and ended a year of relative calm.

In the 17 days that have followed, the situation has become quite precarious. Thousands of soldiers have descended on the border. So have dozens of tanks and missile launchers.

Ukraine calls it an unwarranted provocation against its sovereignty.

"We clearly understand the scale of Russian military presence next to our border. I would like to specify that the question of war depends only on Putin," said Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

Russia calls the situation an escalated hysteria about a mythical threat.

"Troops are being transported there, mobilisation plans, calls of reservists are being renewed. Ukrainian media is escalating hysteria about the Russian mythical threat, about plans of Moscow attacking Ukraine practically tomorrow. All this is happening at the behest and open support of western curators of Kyiv," said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry.

So both Moscow and Kyiv deny stoking up tensions.

Then what exactly is happening and why is it happening?

At the root of the problem is Ukraine's geographical and demographic makeup. As a former Soviet territory, Ukraine is divided between an eastern region with close historical &amp; cultural ties to Russia and the rest of the country which identifies as more Ukrainian than anything else.

The east has been the hotbed of rebellion and pro-Russian sentiment. The rebels allegedly receive support from Moscow. And have played a key role in keeping the conflict simmering.

Since 2014, some 13,000 civilians, 4100 Ukrainian troops and 5650 pro-Russian separatists have been killed in this conflict. Ukraine is pushing for NATO membership to end it.

For NATO and Europe, this means influence on another one of Russia's borders. But Moscow views it as an existential threat. It has billions of dollars invested in Ukraine. A large part of Russian oil exports flow through the country.&nbsp;

There is indeed sizeable population of pro-Russian people who want to secede from Ukraine. The stakes are quite high and the prospects for a solution quite low. If this situation spirals into military conflict the implications for Europe and the world are quite severe.

Ukraine gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been on the boil since the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.

Ukraine gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been on the boil since the Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Recently, the hostilities re-emerged over situation in Ukraine's Donbass region and Russian troop build-up on Ukraine-Russia border. On March 26, four Ukrainian soldiers were killed by pro-Russian separatists. The killings contravened a ceasefire brokered in 2020 and ended a year of relative calm. In the 17 days that have followed, the situation has become quite precarious. Thousands of soldiers have descended on the border. So have dozens of tanks and missile launchers. Ukraine calls it an unwarranted provocation against its sovereignty. "We clearly understand the scale of Russian military presence next to our border. I would like to specify that the question of war depends only on Putin," said Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council. Russia calls the situation an escalated hysteria about a mythical threat. "Troops are being transported there, mobilisation plans, calls of reservists are being renewed. Ukrainian media is escalating hysteria about the Russian mythical threat, about plans of Moscow attacking Ukraine practically tomorrow. All this is happening at the behest and open support of western curators of Kyiv," said Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry. So both Moscow and Kyiv deny stoking up tensions. Then what exactly is happening and why is it happening? At the root of the problem is Ukraine's geographical and demographic makeup. As a former Soviet territory, Ukraine is divided between an eastern region with close historical & cultural ties to Russia and the rest of the country which identifies as more Ukrainian than anything else. The east has been the hotbed of rebellion and pro-Russian sentiment. The rebels allegedly receive support from Moscow. And have played a key role in keeping the conflict simmering. Since 2014, some 13,000 civilians, 4100 Ukrainian troops and 5650 pro-Russian separatists have been killed in this conflict. Ukraine is pushing for NATO membership to end it. For NATO and Europe, this means influence on another one of Russia's borders. But Moscow views it as an existential threat. It has billions of dollars invested in Ukraine. A large part of Russian oil exports flow through the country. There is indeed sizeable population of pro-Russian people who want to secede from Ukraine. The stakes are quite high and the prospects for a solution quite low. If this situation spirals into military conflict the implications for Europe and the world are quite severe.

What's happening between Russia and Ukraine? Here's a cheat-sheet

In a possible sign that Ukraine and Russia may&nbsp;soon be embroiled in yet another conflict, Ukraine's defense minister said on Saturday that his country could be provoked due to Russian 'aggression'. The relations between the two countries are on the boil due to the situation in the conflict area of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

The region has a sizeable Russian-speaking population.

The minister, Andrii Taran, said Russian accusations about the rights of Russian speakers being violated could be the reason for the resumption of armed aggression against Ukraine.

"At the same time, it should be noted that the intensification of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is possible only if an appropriate political decision is made at the highest level in the Kremlin," he said in a statement.

Ukraine has been raising the issue of buildup of Russian forces near the Ukraine-Russia border.

Russian military movements have raised concerns. It is being apprehensively examined whether Russia wants to send forces into Ukraine.

Senior Kremlin official Dmitry Kozak last week said Russia would be forced to defend its citizens in eastern Ukraine depending on the scale of the military conflict there.

On Friday UK Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Russia to halt the troop buildup.

(With agency inputs)

In a possible sign that Ukraine and Russia may soon be embroiled in yet another conflict, Ukraine's defense minister said on Saturday that his country could be provoked due to Russian 'aggression'.

In a possible sign that Ukraine and Russia may soon be embroiled in yet another conflict, Ukraine's defense minister said on Saturday that his country could be provoked due to Russian 'aggression'. The relations between the two countries are on the boil due to the situation in the conflict area of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. The region has a sizeable Russian-speaking population. The minister, Andrii Taran, said Russian accusations about the rights of Russian speakers being violated could be the reason for the resumption of armed aggression against Ukraine. "At the same time, it should be noted that the intensification of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is possible only if an appropriate political decision is made at the highest level in the Kremlin," he said in a statement. Ukraine has been raising the issue of buildup of Russian forces near the Ukraine-Russia border. Russian military movements have raised concerns. It is being apprehensively examined whether Russia wants to send forces into Ukraine. Senior Kremlin official Dmitry Kozak last week said Russia would be forced to defend its citizens in eastern Ukraine depending on the scale of the military conflict there. On Friday UK Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Russia to halt the troop buildup. (With agency inputs)

Ukraine: Can be provoked due to Russian 'aggression'

Canada has asked its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Ukraine. The Canadian government stated "ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup in and around the country" as the reason behind the advisory. Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly is due to visit Ukrainian capital Kyiv next week to reaffirm Canadian support for Ukrainian sovereignty.

"We have changed the risk level for Ukraine to avoid non-essential travel due to ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup in and around the country", the Canadian government said in a travel advisory issued late Saturday.

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia remain high as Russia continue to station more than 100,000 troops at the border between the countries. Russia claims that it would not attack Ukraine but has threatened unspecified military action if its demands are not met. Russia is dead against Ukraine's inclusion in NATO.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-suspects-hacker-group-linked-to-belarusian-intelligence-behind-cyberattack-445151">Ukraine suspects hacker group linked to Belarusian intelligence behind cyberattack</a>

Canada, with a sizeable and politically influential population of Ukrainian descent, has taken a hard line with Russia since its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Joly will meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal and travel to the west of the country to speak to a 200-strong Canadian training mission that has been there since 2015.

Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Morgan and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke on Friday and pledged continued close coordination to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine and called for Russian de-escalation, a US State Department spokesperson said on Saturday.

Russia did not walk out of meetings on the crisis with the United States and European nations last week, but the talks ended with U.S. officials warning that the risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine remains high.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday and "emphasized that any military incursion into Ukraine would have serious consequences, including coordinated sanctions".

Canada has imposed punitive measures on more than 440 individuals and entities over the annexation of Crimea.

(With inputs from agencies)

Canada has asked its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Ukraine. The Canadian government stated "ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup in and around the country" as the reason behind the advisory.

Canada has asked its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Ukraine. The Canadian government stated "ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup in and around the country" as the reason behind the advisory. Canada's Foreign Minister Melanie Joly is due to visit Ukrainian capital Kyiv next week to reaffirm Canadian support for Ukrainian sovereignty. "We have changed the risk level for Ukraine to avoid non-essential travel due to ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup in and around the country", the Canadian government said in a travel advisory issued late Saturday. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia remain high as Russia continue to station more than 100,000 troops at the border between the countries. Russia claims that it would not attack Ukraine but has threatened unspecified military action if its demands are not met. Russia is dead against Ukraine's inclusion in NATO. Also Read | Ukraine suspects hacker group linked to Belarusian intelligence behind cyberattack Canada, with a sizeable and politically influential population of Ukrainian descent, has taken a hard line with Russia since its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Joly will meet Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal and travel to the west of the country to speak to a 200-strong Canadian training mission that has been there since 2015. Canadian Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Morgan and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke on Friday and pledged continued close coordination to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine and called for Russian de-escalation, a US State Department spokesperson said on Saturday. Russia did not walk out of meetings on the crisis with the United States and European nations last week, but the talks ended with U.S. officials warning that the risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine remains high. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday and "emphasized that any military incursion into Ukraine would have serious consequences, including coordinated sanctions". Canada has imposed punitive measures on more than 440 individuals and entities over the annexation of Crimea. (With inputs from agencies)

Canada advises citizens to avoid non-essential Ukraine travel due to 'Russian aggression'

Ahead of talks between Russia and NATO over Ukraine, Moscow said that a 'moment of truth' was upon everyone. The words came from Russia's&nbsp;Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko following Monday's US-Russia negotiations in Geneva. The Geneva talks have launched a week of diplomacy between Russia and the West.

The negotiations go while tens of thousands of Russian troops remain stationed along Russia-Ukraine border maintaining fears of Russian invasion against Ukraine. Though Russia claims it does not have invasion planned, it has made amply clear that it is dead against Ukraine's inclusion in the NATO. Ukraine was part of the erstwhile Soviet Union.

Moscow has demanded wide-ranging concessions from Washington and its NATO allies

A meeting of the NATO-Russia Council will take place in Brussels on Wednesday.

"It's no exaggeration to say that a moment of truth is coming in our relations with the alliance," Grushko was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

Moscow has demanded wide-ranging security guarantees from Washington and its NATO allies and insists it has been promised that NATO would not expand eastward.

"Our expectations are entirely realistic and we hope that this will be a serious, deep conversation on key, fundamental problems of European security," Grushko said, referring to the talks in Brussels.

He said Russia would demand a comprehensive response from the alliance to its demands.

"We will push for a concrete, substantive, article-by-article reaction to the Russian draft agreement on guarantees," he added.

In December, Russia unveiled proposals to contain the United States and NATO in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, saying that the US-led alliance should not admit Ukraine or Georgia as new members or establish bases in ex-Soviet countries.

After more than seven hours of negotiations in Geneva on Monday, the Russian and US officials both offered to keep talking, though there was no any breakthrough.

(With inputs from agencies)

Ahead of talks between Russia and NATO over Ukraine, Moscow said that a 'moment of truth' was upon everyone. The words came from Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko following Monday's US-Russia negotiations in Geneva.

Ahead of talks between Russia and NATO over Ukraine, Moscow said that a 'moment of truth' was upon everyone. The words came from Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko following Monday's US-Russia negotiations in Geneva. The Geneva talks have launched a week of diplomacy between Russia and the West. The negotiations go while tens of thousands of Russian troops remain stationed along Russia-Ukraine border maintaining fears of Russian invasion against Ukraine. Though Russia claims it does not have invasion planned, it has made amply clear that it is dead against Ukraine's inclusion in the NATO. Ukraine was part of the erstwhile Soviet Union. Moscow has demanded wide-ranging concessions from Washington and its NATO allies A meeting of the NATO-Russia Council will take place in Brussels on Wednesday. "It's no exaggeration to say that a moment of truth is coming in our relations with the alliance," Grushko was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Moscow has demanded wide-ranging security guarantees from Washington and its NATO allies and insists it has been promised that NATO would not expand eastward. "Our expectations are entirely realistic and we hope that this will be a serious, deep conversation on key, fundamental problems of European security," Grushko said, referring to the talks in Brussels. He said Russia would demand a comprehensive response from the alliance to its demands. "We will push for a concrete, substantive, article-by-article reaction to the Russian draft agreement on guarantees," he added. In December, Russia unveiled proposals to contain the United States and NATO in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, saying that the US-led alliance should not admit Ukraine or Georgia as new members or establish bases in ex-Soviet countries. After more than seven hours of negotiations in Geneva on Monday, the Russian and US officials both offered to keep talking, though there was no any breakthrough. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia says talks with NATO over Ukraine are 'moment of truth'

Ahead of the crucial talks over the current Ukraine situation on Monday (January 10), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov sat for a working dinner with the United States delegation led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Geneva on Sunday.&nbsp;

The dinner was held at the luxury residence of the US ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament. Sergei Ryabkov told reporters that preliminary talks with a top US diplomat had been "complex but businesslike", Russian news agencies reported.&nbsp;

After a weeks-long standoff over Russian troop deployments near its border with Ukraine, the West has been accusing Russia that it is planning an invasion. However, officials from both countries are meeting to de-escalate the situation and try to avert a crisis.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/left-out-of-high-level-talks-ukraine-tries-other-diplomatic-channels-443446">Left out of high-level talks, Ukraine tries other diplomatic channels</a>

"The conversation was difficult, it couldn't have been easy," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency after meeting. "I think that tomorrow we won't waste any time," Ryabkov said. he added that he "never loses optimism."

On the other hand, Sherman told Ryabkov that Washington "would welcome genuine progress through diplomacy," the US State Department said.&nbsp;

What to expect during the meeting?

Russia's state-owned RIA news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying it was entirely possible the diplomacy could end after a single meeting. "I can't rule out anything, this is an entirely possible scenario and the Americans ... should have no illusions about this," he was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

"Naturally, we will not make any concessions under pressure" or amid constant threats from participants in the talks, said Ryabkov, who will lead the Russian delegation in Geneva.

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Ukraine crisis

In the past few months, Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed tens of thousands of Russian troops within reach of the border with Ukraine.&nbsp;

US, Ukraine and the other Western countries say Russia is planning an invasion, eight years after Russia seized the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Russia has denied invasion plans and said it is responding to what it calls aggressive and provocative behaviour from the NATO military alliance and Ukraine. Russia is also pushing to join NATO.&nbsp;

In response to Russian demands for Western security guarantees, the United States and allies have said they are prepared to discuss the possibility of each side restricting military exercises and missile deployments in the region.

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(With inputs from agencies)

Ahead of the crucial talks over the current Ukraine situation on Monday (January 10), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov sat for a working dinner with the United States delegation led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Geneva on Sunday.

Ahead of the crucial talks over the current Ukraine situation on Monday (January 10), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov sat for a working dinner with the United States delegation led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Geneva on Sunday. The dinner was held at the luxury residence of the US ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament. Sergei Ryabkov told reporters that preliminary talks with a top US diplomat had been "complex but businesslike", Russian news agencies reported. After a weeks-long standoff over Russian troop deployments near its border with Ukraine, the West has been accusing Russia that it is planning an invasion. However, officials from both countries are meeting to de-escalate the situation and try to avert a crisis. ALSO READ | Left out of high-level talks, Ukraine tries other diplomatic channels "The conversation was difficult, it couldn't have been easy," the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency after meeting. "I think that tomorrow we won't waste any time," Ryabkov said. he added that he "never loses optimism." On the other hand, Sherman told Ryabkov that Washington "would welcome genuine progress through diplomacy," the US State Department said. What to expect during the meeting? Russia's state-owned RIA news agency quoted Ryabkov as saying it was entirely possible the diplomacy could end after a single meeting. "I can't rule out anything, this is an entirely possible scenario and the Americans ... should have no illusions about this," he was quoted as saying. "Naturally, we will not make any concessions under pressure" or amid constant threats from participants in the talks, said Ryabkov, who will lead the Russian delegation in Geneva. ALSO READ | Ahead of talks on Ukraine, Blinken warns Russia of confrontation Ukraine crisis In the past few months, Russian President Vladimir Putin has deployed tens of thousands of Russian troops within reach of the border with Ukraine. US, Ukraine and the other Western countries say Russia is planning an invasion, eight years after Russia seized the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia has denied invasion plans and said it is responding to what it calls aggressive and provocative behaviour from the NATO military alliance and Ukraine. Russia is also pushing to join NATO. In response to Russian demands for Western security guarantees, the United States and allies have said they are prepared to discuss the possibility of each side restricting military exercises and missile deployments in the region. × (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine crisis: Russia says preliminary talks with US in Geneva 'complex but businesslike'

President Vladimir Putin of Russia is playing a game of suspense.

When he kicked over the global chessboard late last year, amassing thousands of troops at the Ukrainian border, he sent the world into panic. An invasion seemed imminent — and beyond it loomed the threat of a new global confrontation, contested by nuclear-armed powers. Things haven’t calmed down since: A call between Mr. Putin and President Biden on Dec. 30, where the leaders traded threats, did little to take the sting out of the situation. Any incident along the Russian-Ukrainian border could bring inferno.

The Kremlin’s reasoning for the escalation is curious. It is acting in response, it maintains, to the West’s “drawing Ukraine into NATO” and NATO’s encroachment on what the Kremlin views as Russia’s area of influence. But that looks like a bluff, or even trolling. The truth is that NATO, for all its welcoming gestures, is not ready to offer Ukraine membership.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-concession-over-ukraine-in-talks-with-us-says-russia-443349">No concession over Ukraine in talks with US, says Russia</a>

So what is Mr. Putin’s endgame? The immediate aim, to be sure, is to return Ukraine to Russia’s orbit. But that’s only a brush stroke on a much bigger canvas. Mr. Putin’s design is grand: to refashion the post-Cold War settlement, in the process guaranteeing the survival of Russia’s personalized power system. And judging from the West’s awkward, anguished response so far, he might be close to getting what he wants.

In recent years, Mr. Putin has successfully revived Russia’s tradition of one-man rule by amending the Constitution, rewriting history and clamping down on the opposition. Now he seeks to provide the system with a sturdy Great Power spine, returning to Russia its global glamour. In the past decade, Mr. Putin’s Russia not only demonstrated its readiness to resume control over the former Soviet space, testing its ambitions in Georgia and Ukraine, but also left its footprints all over the world, including through meddling in Western democracies. Yet today’s standoff over Ukraine takes things to a new level.

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No longer content with upsetting the West, Mr. Putin is now trying to force it to agree to a new global dispensation, with Russia restored to eminence. It doesn’t stop there, though. Crucially, the geopolitical advance would serve to safeguard Mr. Putin’s rule. So the West, by accepting Russia’s geopolitical position, would effectively underwrite its domestic agenda, too. The United States would become, at home and abroad, Russia’s security provider. It’s quite the gambit.

The timing is crucial. With the European Union consumed by its own challenges and the United States’ rivalry with China yet to reach top gear, the Kremlin is seizing the moment to pursue its grand design. To do so, it could put on the war helmet at any moment. But confrontation is not the Kremlin’s goal. The escalation is about peace on Russia’s terms.

Right now, it’s hard to know what comes next. Mr. Putin can’t force his Western opponents to surrender; neither is he ready to retreat. But he could use both concessions and refusals to pursue his agenda. Concessions, such as NATO explicitly pledging not to expand any further east, would be presented as victories, and refusals as the pretext for further escalation. One success is already clear: The West has been forced to reward Russia — through outreach, diplomacy and, above all, attention — for the charitable act of not invading Ukraine.

Russia’s rebellion threatens to turn geopolitics into a battle of threats — force on one side, sanctions on the other. Mr. Putin’s method is tried and tested: He ratchets up the tensions and then demands “binding agreements,” which he does not take seriously. The aim, really, is a Hobbesian world order, built on disruption and readiness for surprise breakthroughs.

This order has nothing in common with those fashioned at the Yalta Conference in 1945, say, or the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Their architects followed the rules. The Kremlin is suggesting something very different: the irrelevance of rules. The norms by which the world has been governed for the past three decades would be thrown out, in favor of creative interpretation of the possible. In this free-for-all, Mr. Putin — mercurial master of suspense and the sudden move — can pursue his fusion of geopolitical power and personal rule.

Today, Ukraine is the jewel to fight for. But it won’t end there: Belarus, whose embattled leader relies on Russia’s support, could be the next prize in the geopolitical rivalry — or perhaps it will be Kazakhstan, where popular anger at the corrupt, Russian-backed regime has erupted. The drama is just beginning. Other neighboring countries could become hostages of Russia’s system of survival, which requires external domination for the sake of internal security.

So far, the Kremlin has been extremely lucky, or extraordinarily skilled, in playing a weak hand without aces up its sleeve. It deals with a Western establishment determined to maintain the status quo, even if that means accommodation. After all, the nature of globalization precludes serious containment policy: How can the West deter Russia when it is enmeshed in a web of economic and security ties with the Russian state?

Mr. Putin no doubt senses the advantage. Having dealt with the Western leaders for decades, he seems to have concluded that he can play bully. That the United States quickly agreed to start talks suggests Mr. Putin’s strategy is working: It could take months before Western partners discover that they have been engaged in an exchange of hot air.

They are clearly yet to work out how to respond to the Kremlin’s policy of suspense. By forcing the world to guess what Russia is up to and pursuing mutually contradictory policy lines simultaneously, the Kremlin keeps the West disoriented. Accustomed to functioning in rational, risk-averse ways, the West doesn’t know how to react to such “organized chaos.”

There are several traps into which Russia and the West could fall. The kind of sanctions the Biden administration is reportedly considering could be devastating for the Russian state and its elites, which are integrated into the West. And ordinary Russians are not going to sacrifice their living standards indefinitely for wars and antagonism. According to the independent Levada Center, in 2021 only 32 percent of Russians wanted to see Russia as “a great power respected and feared by other countries,” and just 16 percent thought the war could raise Mr. Putin’s authority. The patriotic drug of militarism has started to wear off.

There is a Catch-22 for the West, too: Any bargain that would allow the Kremlin to interpret the global rules of the game would undermine Western principles. Yet rejecting the bargain could incite the Kremlin to wreck the whole shop. The world’s liberal democracies are hardly ready for a clash with a nuclear opponent.

This is a deadlock, and there appears to be no way out. Both sides continue to play “who blinks first”: America and its allies have set out to reassure Ukraine of their support, while Russia has kept the hammer of military deployment ready. A meeting in Moscow on Thursday between representatives of Russia, France and Germany made little headway. Negotiations begin in earnest next week, as Russia and America — later joined by NATO members — aim to find the areas where agreement is possible and where it isn’t.

It’s a tall order. And even if such efforts manage to temporarily tamp down the situation, mutual suspicion will linger. The reason is simple: For as long as Mr. Putin holds sway, his grand design will never be far away.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia is playing a game of suspense. When he kicked over the global chessboard late last year, amassing thousands of troops at the Ukrainian border, he sent the world into panic.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia is playing a game of suspense. When he kicked over the global chessboard late last year, amassing thousands of troops at the Ukrainian border, he sent the world into panic. An invasion seemed imminent — and beyond it loomed the threat of a new global confrontation, contested by nuclear-armed powers. Things haven’t calmed down since: A call between Mr. Putin and President Biden on Dec. 30, where the leaders traded threats, did little to take the sting out of the situation. Any incident along the Russian-Ukrainian border could bring inferno. The Kremlin’s reasoning for the escalation is curious. It is acting in response, it maintains, to the West’s “drawing Ukraine into NATO” and NATO’s encroachment on what the Kremlin views as Russia’s area of influence. But that looks like a bluff, or even trolling. The truth is that NATO, for all its welcoming gestures, is not ready to offer Ukraine membership. Also Read | No concession over Ukraine in talks with US, says Russia So what is Mr. Putin’s endgame? The immediate aim, to be sure, is to return Ukraine to Russia’s orbit. But that’s only a brush stroke on a much bigger canvas. Mr. Putin’s design is grand: to refashion the post-Cold War settlement, in the process guaranteeing the survival of Russia’s personalized power system. And judging from the West’s awkward, anguished response so far, he might be close to getting what he wants. In recent years, Mr. Putin has successfully revived Russia’s tradition of one-man rule by amending the Constitution, rewriting history and clamping down on the opposition. Now he seeks to provide the system with a sturdy Great Power spine, returning to Russia its global glamour. In the past decade, Mr. Putin’s Russia not only demonstrated its readiness to resume control over the former Soviet space, testing its ambitions in Georgia and Ukraine, but also left its footprints all over the world, including through meddling in Western democracies. Yet today’s standoff over Ukraine takes things to a new level. Also Read | US ready to talk missiles and military exercises in Ukraine with Russia: Official No longer content with upsetting the West, Mr. Putin is now trying to force it to agree to a new global dispensation, with Russia restored to eminence. It doesn’t stop there, though. Crucially, the geopolitical advance would serve to safeguard Mr. Putin’s rule. So the West, by accepting Russia’s geopolitical position, would effectively underwrite its domestic agenda, too. The United States would become, at home and abroad, Russia’s security provider. It’s quite the gambit. The timing is crucial. With the European Union consumed by its own challenges and the United States’ rivalry with China yet to reach top gear, the Kremlin is seizing the moment to pursue its grand design. To do so, it could put on the war helmet at any moment. But confrontation is not the Kremlin’s goal. The escalation is about peace on Russia’s terms. Right now, it’s hard to know what comes next. Mr. Putin can’t force his Western opponents to surrender; neither is he ready to retreat. But he could use both concessions and refusals to pursue his agenda. Concessions, such as NATO explicitly pledging not to expand any further east, would be presented as victories, and refusals as the pretext for further escalation. One success is already clear: The West has been forced to reward Russia — through outreach, diplomacy and, above all, attention — for the charitable act of not invading Ukraine. Russia’s rebellion threatens to turn geopolitics into a battle of threats — force on one side, sanctions on the other. Mr. Putin’s method is tried and tested: He ratchets up the tensions and then demands “binding agreements,” which he does not take seriously. The aim, really, is a Hobbesian world order, built on disruption and readiness for surprise breakthroughs. This order has nothing in common with those fashioned at the Yalta Conference in 1945, say, or the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Their architects followed the rules. The Kremlin is suggesting something very different: the irrelevance of rules. The norms by which the world has been governed for the past three decades would be thrown out, in favor of creative interpretation of the possible. In this free-for-all, Mr. Putin — mercurial master of suspense and the sudden move — can pursue his fusion of geopolitical power and personal rule. Today, Ukraine is the jewel to fight for. But it won’t end there: Belarus, whose embattled leader relies on Russia’s support, could be the next prize in the geopolitical rivalry — or perhaps it will be Kazakhstan, where popular anger at the corrupt, Russian-backed regime has erupted. The drama is just beginning. Other neighboring countries could become hostages of Russia’s system of survival, which requires external domination for the sake of internal security. So far, the Kremlin has been extremely lucky, or extraordinarily skilled, in playing a weak hand without aces up its sleeve. It deals with a Western establishment determined to maintain the status quo, even if that means accommodation. After all, the nature of globalization precludes serious containment policy: How can the West deter Russia when it is enmeshed in a web of economic and security ties with the Russian state? Mr. Putin no doubt senses the advantage. Having dealt with the Western leaders for decades, he seems to have concluded that he can play bully. That the United States quickly agreed to start talks suggests Mr. Putin’s strategy is working: It could take months before Western partners discover that they have been engaged in an exchange of hot air. They are clearly yet to work out how to respond to the Kremlin’s policy of suspense. By forcing the world to guess what Russia is up to and pursuing mutually contradictory policy lines simultaneously, the Kremlin keeps the West disoriented. Accustomed to functioning in rational, risk-averse ways, the West doesn’t know how to react to such “organized chaos.” There are several traps into which Russia and the West could fall. The kind of sanctions the Biden administration is reportedly considering could be devastating for the Russian state and its elites, which are integrated into the West. And ordinary Russians are not going to sacrifice their living standards indefinitely for wars and antagonism. According to the independent Levada Center, in 2021 only 32 percent of Russians wanted to see Russia as “a great power respected and feared by other countries,” and just 16 percent thought the war could raise Mr. Putin’s authority. The patriotic drug of militarism has started to wear off. There is a Catch-22 for the West, too: Any bargain that would allow the Kremlin to interpret the global rules of the game would undermine Western principles. Yet rejecting the bargain could incite the Kremlin to wreck the whole shop. The world’s liberal democracies are hardly ready for a clash with a nuclear opponent. This is a deadlock, and there appears to be no way out. Both sides continue to play “who blinks first”: America and its allies have set out to reassure Ukraine of their support, while Russia has kept the hammer of military deployment ready. A meeting in Moscow on Thursday between representatives of Russia, France and Germany made little headway. Negotiations begin in earnest next week, as Russia and America — later joined by NATO members — aim to find the areas where agreement is possible and where it isn’t. It’s a tall order. And even if such efforts manage to temporarily tamp down the situation, mutual suspicion will linger. The reason is simple: For as long as Mr. Putin holds sway, his grand design will never be far away.

Ukraine is only one small part of Putin’s plans

Russia on Sunday ruled out any concession over Ukraine during talks with the US in Geneva. Tens of thousands of Russian troops continue to be stationed along the Russia-Ukraine border. Russia is facing massive international pressure to pull back troops.

Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian news agencies ahead of his talks in Geneva the Kremlin was also "disappointed" with signals coming from both Washington and Brussels, where NATO and the European Union are based.

"We will not agree to any concession. That is completely excluded," Ryabkov said. "We are disappointed with the signals coming in the last few days from Washington but also from Brussels."

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The high-level discussions start a week of diplomacy in which Russia will meet with NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), with the US trying to assure European allies they will not be sidelined.

Russia is dead against Ukraine (formerly part of Soviet Russia) joining the NATO while Ukraine is pushing for its inclusion in the grouping. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already made it clear that Ukraine's inclusion in NATO is unacceptable.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/ukraine-is-only-one-small-part-of-putins-plans-443354">Ukraine is only one small part of Putin’s plans</a>

The United States, to be represented by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, agreed to talks even though it made plain that many of Moscow's proposals are non-starters.&nbsp;

Originally scheduled to start on Monday, Sherman is now due to have a working dinner with Ryabkov on Sunday evening, said a State Department spokesperson.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, dismissing Moscow's demands as "gaslighting", has insisted that talks will yield no progress so long as Russia has a "gun to Ukraine's head".

"We're prepared to respond forcefully to further Russian aggression. But a diplomatic solution is still possible and preferable if Russia chooses it," Blinken said on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met his US counterpart Joe Biden in Geneva in June and agreed on regular "stability" talks between Sherman and Ryabkov, who will again lead the Russian delegation.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia on Sunday ruled out any concession over Ukraine during talks with the US in Geneva. Tens of thousands of Russian troops continue to be stationed along the Russia-Ukraine border.

Russia on Sunday ruled out any concession over Ukraine during talks with the US in Geneva. Tens of thousands of Russian troops continue to be stationed along the Russia-Ukraine border. Russia is facing massive international pressure to pull back troops. Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian news agencies ahead of his talks in Geneva the Kremlin was also "disappointed" with signals coming from both Washington and Brussels, where NATO and the European Union are based. "We will not agree to any concession. That is completely excluded," Ryabkov said. "We are disappointed with the signals coming in the last few days from Washington but also from Brussels." Also Read | US ready to talk missiles and military exercises in Ukraine with Russia: Official The high-level discussions start a week of diplomacy in which Russia will meet with NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), with the US trying to assure European allies they will not be sidelined. Russia is dead against Ukraine (formerly part of Soviet Russia) joining the NATO while Ukraine is pushing for its inclusion in the grouping. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already made it clear that Ukraine's inclusion in NATO is unacceptable. Also Read | Ukraine is only one small part of Putin’s plans The United States, to be represented by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, agreed to talks even though it made plain that many of Moscow's proposals are non-starters. Originally scheduled to start on Monday, Sherman is now due to have a working dinner with Ryabkov on Sunday evening, said a State Department spokesperson. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, dismissing Moscow's demands as "gaslighting", has insisted that talks will yield no progress so long as Russia has a "gun to Ukraine's head". "We're prepared to respond forcefully to further Russian aggression. But a diplomatic solution is still possible and preferable if Russia chooses it," Blinken said on Friday. Russian President Vladimir Putin met his US counterpart Joe Biden in Geneva in June and agreed on regular "stability" talks between Sherman and Ryabkov, who will again lead the Russian delegation. (With inputs from agencies)

No concession over Ukraine in talks with US, says Russia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has slammed Russia for justifying its troop build near Ukrainian borders by pushing a “false narrative” that it is being threatened by NATO.

He also said that the NATO alliance is prepared to respond forcefully to any Russian aggression.

Blinken made the comments while addressing reporters at the State Department ahead of the meet between diplomats of US and Russian in Europe next week aimed at bringing down the temperature between Russia and the West.

“It (Moscow) claims that Ukraine is threatening Russia. That Ukraine seeks to provoke a conflict. And that the Russian troop build-up and the tanks and heavy artillery are all purely defensive. That’s like the fox saying it had to attack the henhouse because its occupants somehow pose a threat,” Blinken said.

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He reminded that Russian had attacked Ukraine in 2014, by blaming Kyiv to be the aggressor and said that Moscow was “simultaneously driving the false narrative that NATO is threatening Russia.”

Blinken alleged that for years, Russia had been working to Ukraine's democratic institutions, interfere in its politics, block energy and commerce and sow mistrust with propaganda and disinformation.

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But he sounded optimistic by saying that a diplomatic solution was still possible to achieve a breakthrough in the current scheme of things.

“Next week we’ll reconfirm our readiness to increase transparency, institute new risk-reduction measures and renew efforts to address nuclear and conventional threats to European security,” he said, adding, “But again, it has to be a two-way street.”

US and NATO have repeatedly voiced concerns over Russia’s plan to invade Ukraine—a charge Kremlin vehemently denies.

There have been various reports, citing satellite images, indicating that Russia has amassed thousands of troops near the Ukrainian borders.

Russia has repeatedly maintained that it has been mobilising troops in response to the presence of NATO troops in the neighbouring Ukraine border.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has slammed Russia for justifying its troop build near Ukrainian borders by pushing a “false narrative” that it is being threatened by NATO.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has slammed Russia for justifying its troop build near Ukrainian borders by pushing a “false narrative” that it is being threatened by NATO. He also said that the NATO alliance is prepared to respond forcefully to any Russian aggression. Blinken made the comments while addressing reporters at the State Department ahead of the meet between diplomats of US and Russian in Europe next week aimed at bringing down the temperature between Russia and the West. “It (Moscow) claims that Ukraine is threatening Russia. That Ukraine seeks to provoke a conflict. And that the Russian troop build-up and the tanks and heavy artillery are all purely defensive. That’s like the fox saying it had to attack the henhouse because its occupants somehow pose a threat,” Blinken said. Also Read | US discussed shipping Stinger missiles to Ukraine: Report He reminded that Russian had attacked Ukraine in 2014, by blaming Kyiv to be the aggressor and said that Moscow was “simultaneously driving the false narrative that NATO is threatening Russia.” Blinken alleged that for years, Russia had been working to Ukraine's democratic institutions, interfere in its politics, block energy and commerce and sow mistrust with propaganda and disinformation. Also read | Russian demand that we never become NATO member illegitimate: Ukraine foreign minister to WION But he sounded optimistic by saying that a diplomatic solution was still possible to achieve a breakthrough in the current scheme of things. “Next week we’ll reconfirm our readiness to increase transparency, institute new risk-reduction measures and renew efforts to address nuclear and conventional threats to European security,” he said, adding, “But again, it has to be a two-way street.” US and NATO have repeatedly voiced concerns over Russia’s plan to invade Ukraine—a charge Kremlin vehemently denies. There have been various reports, citing satellite images, indicating that Russia has amassed thousands of troops near the Ukrainian borders. Russia has repeatedly maintained that it has been mobilising troops in response to the presence of NATO troops in the neighbouring Ukraine border. (With inputs from agencies)

Ahead of talks on Ukraine, Blinken says NATO prepared to respond to Russian aggression

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Thursday in a rare phone call. The two leaders spoke about upoming talks between the two sides over Ukraine crisis. The talks are to take place in Geneva. 
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the two discussed "risk reduction near Ukraine's borders," amid continuing worries in the United States and Western Europe that Russian could invade its pro-Western neighbor.

Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops along its border with Ukrainer raising fears of an invasion. The Kremlin has made it clear that it dead against Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine is an ex-Soviet state.

The United States and NATO allies have threatened tough sanctions against Russia if it attacks Ukraine.&nbsp;

Moscow is accused of supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine who have been locked in a deadly war with Ukraine forces since 2014, leaving at least 13,000 dead.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that talks with Russia on Monday will not succeed so long as there is a "gun to Ukraine's head."&nbsp;

If the talks are "going to show real progress, that will require de-escalation," Blinken said after discussions in Washington with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Thursday in a rare phone call. The two leaders spoke about upoming talks between the two sides over Ukraine crisis.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Thursday in a rare phone call. The two leaders spoke about upoming talks between the two sides over Ukraine crisis. The talks are to take place in Geneva. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the two discussed "risk reduction near Ukraine's borders," amid continuing worries in the United States and Western Europe that Russian could invade its pro-Western neighbor. Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops along its border with Ukrainer raising fears of an invasion. The Kremlin has made it clear that it dead against Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine is an ex-Soviet state. The United States and NATO allies have threatened tough sanctions against Russia if it attacks Ukraine. Moscow is accused of supporting separatists in eastern Ukraine who have been locked in a deadly war with Ukraine forces since 2014, leaving at least 13,000 dead. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that talks with Russia on Monday will not succeed so long as there is a "gun to Ukraine's head." If the talks are "going to show real progress, that will require de-escalation," Blinken said after discussions in Washington with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine crisis: US, Russia defence chiefs speak as tensions simmer

In a fresh stern warning to Russia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Russia must ease pressure on Ukraine if it wants progress. He renewed the warning of 'massive consequences' if Russia invades Ukraine.

Russia and the US are going to hold talks next week in Geneva over the Ukraine issue.

If the talks are "going to show real progress, that will require de-escalation," Blinken told a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Pointing to Russia's hopes for progress in areas such as arms control, Blinken said, "It's very hard to make actual progress in any of these areas in an atmosphere of escalation and threat with a gun pointed to Ukraine's head."

"Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe costs in response," Blinken said.

Baerbock, paying her first visit to Washington since taking office, agreed on the need for "severe consequences" if Russia attacks Ukraine.

The United States and Germany have been at loggerheads for years over Nord Stream 2, which is set to open and ship Russian gas directly to Europe's largest economy.

"From our perspective, it's very hard to see gas flowing through that pipeline, to become operational, if Russia renews its aggression," Blinken said.

Drawing criticism at home, President Joe Biden's administration has declined to impose sanctions over Nord Stream, saying it was virtually complete.

But the administration last year reached an agreement in which Germany promised aid to Ukraine and warned Russia against using the pipeline for geopolitical advantage.

Baerbock, asked if Germany was ready to cancel the pipeline, said only that the new government backed last year's agreement with the United States.

The new government "agreed that we take effective measures together with our European partners should Russia use energy as a weapon," she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a fresh stern warning to Russia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Russia must ease pressure on Ukraine if it wants progress. He renewed the warning of 'massive consequences' if Russia invades Ukraine.

In a fresh stern warning to Russia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Russia must ease pressure on Ukraine if it wants progress. He renewed the warning of 'massive consequences' if Russia invades Ukraine. Russia and the US are going to hold talks next week in Geneva over the Ukraine issue. If the talks are "going to show real progress, that will require de-escalation," Blinken told a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Pointing to Russia's hopes for progress in areas such as arms control, Blinken said, "It's very hard to make actual progress in any of these areas in an atmosphere of escalation and threat with a gun pointed to Ukraine's head." "Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe costs in response," Blinken said. Baerbock, paying her first visit to Washington since taking office, agreed on the need for "severe consequences" if Russia attacks Ukraine. The United States and Germany have been at loggerheads for years over Nord Stream 2, which is set to open and ship Russian gas directly to Europe's largest economy. "From our perspective, it's very hard to see gas flowing through that pipeline, to become operational, if Russia renews its aggression," Blinken said. Drawing criticism at home, President Joe Biden's administration has declined to impose sanctions over Nord Stream, saying it was virtually complete. But the administration last year reached an agreement in which Germany promised aid to Ukraine and warned Russia against using the pipeline for geopolitical advantage. Baerbock, asked if Germany was ready to cancel the pipeline, said only that the new government backed last year's agreement with the United States. The new government "agreed that we take effective measures together with our European partners should Russia use energy as a weapon," she said. (With inputs from agencies)

No progress with Russia so long as 'gun to Ukraine's head': Blinken

US President Joe Biden assured Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington and its allies would act “decisively” if the easter European country is invaded by Russia.

Biden made the stern warning while talking to Zelenskyy over a phone call on Sunday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, as Russia reportedly continues to spruce up its troops on the Ukrainian borders.

In his call with Zelensky, Biden also stressed Washington's commitment “to the principle of 'nothing about you without you”, in an apparent reference to the need to include Ukraine in negotiations about its own future.

Zelensky later tweeted that he appreciated the United States' “unwavering support” and that the call “proves the special nature” of the two countries’ relationship.

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The comments from Biden comes a week after he and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged warnings over Ukraine.

Discussing the call with Putin on Friday, Biden said, “I'm not going to negotiate here in public, but we made it clear he cannot —I'll emphasize, cannot —invade Ukraine."

The US leader added that he had “made it clear to President Putin that we will have severe sanctions, we will increase our presence in Europe, with NATO allies” if Russia invades Ukraine.

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It is being reported that around 100,000 Russian troops are massed near the border of the country, where Putin already seized the Crimea region in 2014 and is accused of fomenting a pro-Russian separatist war which erupted that same year in the east.

Putin has repeatedly said NATO should not extend its border further east bordering Russia and demanded Ukraine should not join the European military alliance, however, NATO officials haven't given any assurances to Russia so far.

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden assured Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington and its allies would act “decisively” if the easter European country is invaded by Russia.

US President Joe Biden assured Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington and its allies would act “decisively” if the easter European country is invaded by Russia. Biden made the stern warning while talking to Zelenskyy over a phone call on Sunday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, as Russia reportedly continues to spruce up its troops on the Ukrainian borders. In his call with Zelensky, Biden also stressed Washington's commitment “to the principle of 'nothing about you without you”, in an apparent reference to the need to include Ukraine in negotiations about its own future. Zelensky later tweeted that he appreciated the United States' “unwavering support” and that the call “proves the special nature” of the two countries’ relationship. Also read | Ukraine closes ports to Russian ships, says Russian media The comments from Biden comes a week after he and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged warnings over Ukraine. Discussing the call with Putin on Friday, Biden said, “I'm not going to negotiate here in public, but we made it clear he cannot —I'll emphasize, cannot —invade Ukraine." The US leader added that he had “made it clear to President Putin that we will have severe sanctions, we will increase our presence in Europe, with NATO allies” if Russia invades Ukraine. Also read | If Russia invades Ukraine, US to send more troops to Eastern Europe It is being reported that around 100,000 Russian troops are massed near the border of the country, where Putin already seized the Crimea region in 2014 and is accused of fomenting a pro-Russian separatist war which erupted that same year in the east. Putin has repeatedly said NATO should not extend its border further east bordering Russia and demanded Ukraine should not join the European military alliance, however, NATO officials haven't given any assurances to Russia so far. (With inputs from agencies)

US will act ‘decisively’ if Russia invades, says Biden in phone call with Ukraine President

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