President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey is ready to do what it can to resolve the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

Offering to host a meeting of the country's two leaders, Erdogan accused the West of making the Russia-Ukraine crisis "worse."

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"Unfortunately, the West until now has not made any contribution to resolving this issue. I can say they are only making things worse," Erdogan said.

Erdogan said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "responded positively" to the idea and that a date for the Russian leader's visit would now be set soon.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-weapons-has-ukraine-received-from-western-countries-to-resist-russias-army-449650">What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army?</a>

He reiterated Turkey's determination to support Ukraine's territorial integrity added that US President Joe Biden "has not yet been able to demonstrate a positive approach".

His comments come days after his visit to his counterpart Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Erdogan has tried to position Turkey, which is a member of the NATO defence alliance, as a neutral mediator close to both Moscow and Kyiv.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beyond-full-scale-attack-on-ukraine-what-are-other-risky-options-does-russia-have-448771">Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have?</a>

Turkey has good ties with Kyiv and Moscow but has said it would do what is necessary as a NATO member if Russia invades.

Russia has denied plans to invade Ukraine amid concern by many Western nations over its build up of more than 100,000 troops near the border, but has demanded sweeping security guarantees from the West and says it could take unspecified military measures if its demands are not met.

With growing nervousness in Eastern Europe over Russia’s buildup, much attention is focused on its placement of thousands of troops in Belarus, which shares a border not only with Ukraine but also with three NATO nations,&nbsp;Poland, Lithuania and Latvia

Erdogan and Zelensky also signed an agreement expanding the production of parts in Ukraine for a Turkish combat drone whose sale to Kyiv has angered Moscow.

Ankara has previously offered to help to defuse the standoff and Turkish diplomatic sources have said both Russia and Ukraine were open to the idea.

Turkey has opposed the sanctions threatened by other NATO members in response to a military incursion by Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey is ready to do what it can to resolve the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Offering to host a meeting of the country's two leaders, Erdogan accused the West of making the Russia-Ukraine crisis "worse.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey is ready to do what it can to resolve the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Offering to host a meeting of the country's two leaders, Erdogan accused the West of making the Russia-Ukraine crisis "worse." "Unfortunately, the West until now has not made any contribution to resolving this issue. I can say they are only making things worse," Erdogan said. Erdogan said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "responded positively" to the idea and that a date for the Russian leader's visit would now be set soon. Also see | What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army? He reiterated Turkey's determination to support Ukraine's territorial integrity added that US President Joe Biden "has not yet been able to demonstrate a positive approach". His comments come days after his visit to his counterpart Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. Erdogan has tried to position Turkey, which is a member of the NATO defence alliance, as a neutral mediator close to both Moscow and Kyiv. Also see | Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have? Turkey has good ties with Kyiv and Moscow but has said it would do what is necessary as a NATO member if Russia invades. Russia has denied plans to invade Ukraine amid concern by many Western nations over its build up of more than 100,000 troops near the border, but has demanded sweeping security guarantees from the West and says it could take unspecified military measures if its demands are not met. With growing nervousness in Eastern Europe over Russia’s buildup, much attention is focused on its placement of thousands of troops in Belarus, which shares a border not only with Ukraine but also with three NATO nations, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia Erdogan and Zelensky also signed an agreement expanding the production of parts in Ukraine for a Turkish combat drone whose sale to Kyiv has angered Moscow. Ankara has previously offered to help to defuse the standoff and Turkish diplomatic sources have said both Russia and Ukraine were open to the idea. Turkey has opposed the sanctions threatened by other NATO members in response to a military incursion by Russia. (With inputs from agencies)

Erdogan reiterates Turkey's determination to support Ukraine's territorial integrity

Senior Biden administration officials told lawmakers this past week that they believed the Russian military had assembled 70% of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine, painting the most ominous picture yet of the options that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has created for himself in recent weeks.

During six hours of closed meetings with House and Senate lawmakers Thursday, the officials warned that if Putin chose the most aggressive of his options, he could quickly surround or capture Kyiv, the capital, and remove the country’s democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They also warned that the invasion could prompt an enormous refugee crisis on the European continent, sending millions fleeing.

The officials stressed that U.S. intelligence analysts still did not assess that Putin had made a final decision to invade. But satellite imagery, communications among Russian forces and images of Russian equipment on the move show that he has assembled everything he would need to undertake what the officials said would constitute the largest military operation on land in Europe since 1945.

They also warned of enormous possible human costs if Putin went ahead with a full invasion, including the potential deaths of 25,000 to 50,000 civilians, 5,000 to 25,000 members of the Ukrainian military and 3,000 to 10,000 members of the Russian military. The invasion, they said, could also result in 1 million to 5 million refugees, with many of them pouring into Poland.

Should Putin decide to invade, U.S. officials believe he is not likely to move until the second half of February. By that point, more ground will have frozen, making it easier to move heavy vehicles and equipment, and the Winter Olympics in Beijing will have ended or be winding down, which could help Putin avoid antagonizing President Xi Jinping of China, a critical ally for the Russian president.

The grim briefings were the latest salvo in weeks of grave messaging from the Biden administration about Putin’s plans. On the same day as the briefings, the administration also publicly warned that Russia may try to stage a false-flag operation suggesting that Russian-speaking populations are being attacked, which could create a pretext for an overt military operation. The drumbeat of warnings is part of a concerted campaign by the administration to expose Putin’s maneuvers in an attempt to build international pressure on him and make clear to him the risks to Russia of escalating the situation further.

Whether Putin decides to go through with a maximalist approach or a more scaled-down version is the question with which American, European and Ukrainian officials are all grappling.

For example, European officials, examining the same evidence, suggest that Putin could start smaller and test the reaction — with cyberattacks to paralyze Ukraine’s electric grid and communications, an invasion limited to the Russian-speaking territory in eastern Ukraine or an effort to cut the country in half, roughly along the Dnieper River. U.S. officials have acknowledged the possibility, especially if Putin wants to see if a smaller military action would create more divisions within Europe over whether to impose the most crushing economic sanctions.

Western intelligence officials also say they have picked up chatter suggesting Russian military leaders are confident they could take Ukraine in a blitzkrieg attack, but worry that they may not be able to hold on to the country, especially if the invasion sets off a significant insurgency. That has prompted speculation inside the NATO alliance that Putin might invade, seek to change the Ukrainian government and then partly withdraw his forces.

The briefings to Congress on Thursday were led by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Avril Haines, director of national intelligence; and Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The U.S. officials described to lawmakers five options that Putin could take, depending on the scope of his ambitions and his calculations about whether he would rather try to take the whole country quickly, no matter the human and economic cost to Russia, or attack it in pieces, in hopes of dividing Europe and NATO allies.

The options include a coup that would depose Zelenskyy; a limited incursion into eastern Ukraine similar to what Putin did when he annexed Crimea in 2014; an incursion into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine accompanied by a Russian declaration of Donbas as an independent republic; or a Donbas incursion followed by an invasion and annexation of all of the eastern part of the country.

The worst-case assessment is that Putin is preparing to take the entire country — the scenario that would most likely produce the greatest casualties and, presumably, prompt the harshest sanctions from the United States and Europe.

Putin, Milley told lawmakers, is putting in the “military capability to do any and all, building himself a set of options.”

The unclassified parts of the briefings to lawmakers were described to The New York Times by officials in the room, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Diplomats and intelligence officials from three other countries involved in seeking to deter a Russian invasion confirmed the broad outlines of the status of Russian forces, although they disagreed about the importance of certain elements.

After hearing from administration officials, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told reporters that a Russian invasion was a “near certainty.” He added that “if we now live in an era where someone can move into a country and just take it over and claim it as their own, I don’t think it’s going to stop at Ukraine,” echoing the fear that Putin may be trying to redraw the map of the continent to return to the days of the Soviet Union.

Increased planning in Russia’s military apparatus began last fall, Biden administration officials told lawmakers. The expansiveness of the effort alarmed intelligence analysts, who assessed that Putin had concluded that he would need some 150,000 troops from 110 battalion tactical groups to conquer Ukraine, which the Russian president views as a part of Russia.

The officials said that, as of this past week, Putin had amassed about 70% of the forces he would need to pull off a large-scale invasion to take the entire country, with more than 110,000 troops at the border with Ukraine from 83 battalion tactical groups. Some 14 additional groups were in transit to the border, the officials said.

They said Russian troops had been positioned in a manner that suggested a pincer movement, in which Russia would invade the country from three sides. Thirty thousand troops, according to U.S. and NATO estimates, are now in Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north.

Ballistic missiles in Belarus, and to the east inside Russian territory, have captured British and Ukrainian attention in recent days. The Iskander-M missiles are mounted on mobile launchers, meaning they can be rolled closer to the border in short order, and they have a range of about 300 miles. That suggests that Putin, if he chose, could begin attacking cities and military emplacements before he moved any troops over the border.

Austin and Milley described to lawmakers a bristling array of additional Russian military assets that have encircled Ukraine. They include 11 amphibious assault ships, in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean, with the capacity to carry five battalions of Russian marines who could land in Ukraine from the south, the officials said. In addition, Putin has deployed a number of submarines to the Black Sea, the defense officials told lawmakers.

Putin has also deployed Special Operations forces — about 1,500 troops — near and even inside the Ukrainian border, the officials told lawmakers. Those troops, they said, work closely with the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU, which has in the past directed cyber and other attacks on foes.

European officials tend to be more skeptical that Putin would try to take the country in a large-scale invasion. Some believe that he would seek to take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where a grinding proxy war has been underway since 2014.

Another theory is that Putin could expand that operation in an effort to annex all of eastern Ukraine, up to the Dnieper River. Along the way he could try to decimate Ukrainian troops in that part of the country, roughly half of the Ukrainian military. That could incite panic in the western part of Ukraine — where resistance to Russia might be highest — and prompt people to flee the country. Over time, that could lead top government officials to flee or to try to rule from exile.

U.S. and European officials have made clear that a physical attack over the borders of Ukraine would lead to enormous sanctions on Russia’s banks, trade restrictions on semiconductors and other high-tech items and the freezing of the accounts of Russian oligarchs and leaders. But there is far less unanimity, as President Joe Biden himself has acknowledged, about how to respond to a “minor incursion.” Or even what a minor incursion might be.

European and U.S. officials worry that Putin might try to stage a coup in Kyiv. Another possibility is a cyberattack devised by Russia that tries to bring down parts or all of Ukraine’s electric and communications infrastructure, similar to the 2015 and 2016 attacks on parts of the country’s electric grid.

European officials say it is unclear how the Western allies would respond to such an attack. If they believed that the cyberoperations were a face-saving way for Putin to act and then retreat, they note, there might be a temptation to de-escalate and not seek to impose major sanctions, especially if there were few human casualties. On the other hand, a cyberattack could be a prelude to a full invasion, essentially cutting off Ukraine’s ability to communicate or track where Russian forces were coming from.

Senior Biden administration officials told lawmakers this past week that they believed the Russian military had assembled 70% of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine, painting the most ominous picture yet of the options that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has created for himself in recent weeks.

Senior Biden administration officials told lawmakers this past week that they believed the Russian military had assembled 70% of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine, painting the most ominous picture yet of the options that Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has created for himself in recent weeks. During six hours of closed meetings with House and Senate lawmakers Thursday, the officials warned that if Putin chose the most aggressive of his options, he could quickly surround or capture Kyiv, the capital, and remove the country’s democratically elected president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They also warned that the invasion could prompt an enormous refugee crisis on the European continent, sending millions fleeing. The officials stressed that U.S. intelligence analysts still did not assess that Putin had made a final decision to invade. But satellite imagery, communications among Russian forces and images of Russian equipment on the move show that he has assembled everything he would need to undertake what the officials said would constitute the largest military operation on land in Europe since 1945. They also warned of enormous possible human costs if Putin went ahead with a full invasion, including the potential deaths of 25,000 to 50,000 civilians, 5,000 to 25,000 members of the Ukrainian military and 3,000 to 10,000 members of the Russian military. The invasion, they said, could also result in 1 million to 5 million refugees, with many of them pouring into Poland. Should Putin decide to invade, U.S. officials believe he is not likely to move until the second half of February. By that point, more ground will have frozen, making it easier to move heavy vehicles and equipment, and the Winter Olympics in Beijing will have ended or be winding down, which could help Putin avoid antagonizing President Xi Jinping of China, a critical ally for the Russian president. The grim briefings were the latest salvo in weeks of grave messaging from the Biden administration about Putin’s plans. On the same day as the briefings, the administration also publicly warned that Russia may try to stage a false-flag operation suggesting that Russian-speaking populations are being attacked, which could create a pretext for an overt military operation. The drumbeat of warnings is part of a concerted campaign by the administration to expose Putin’s maneuvers in an attempt to build international pressure on him and make clear to him the risks to Russia of escalating the situation further. Whether Putin decides to go through with a maximalist approach or a more scaled-down version is the question with which American, European and Ukrainian officials are all grappling. For example, European officials, examining the same evidence, suggest that Putin could start smaller and test the reaction — with cyberattacks to paralyze Ukraine’s electric grid and communications, an invasion limited to the Russian-speaking territory in eastern Ukraine or an effort to cut the country in half, roughly along the Dnieper River. U.S. officials have acknowledged the possibility, especially if Putin wants to see if a smaller military action would create more divisions within Europe over whether to impose the most crushing economic sanctions. Western intelligence officials also say they have picked up chatter suggesting Russian military leaders are confident they could take Ukraine in a blitzkrieg attack, but worry that they may not be able to hold on to the country, especially if the invasion sets off a significant insurgency. That has prompted speculation inside the NATO alliance that Putin might invade, seek to change the Ukrainian government and then partly withdraw his forces. The briefings to Congress on Thursday were led by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Avril Haines, director of national intelligence; and Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The U.S. officials described to lawmakers five options that Putin could take, depending on the scope of his ambitions and his calculations about whether he would rather try to take the whole country quickly, no matter the human and economic cost to Russia, or attack it in pieces, in hopes of dividing Europe and NATO allies. The options include a coup that would depose Zelenskyy; a limited incursion into eastern Ukraine similar to what Putin did when he annexed Crimea in 2014; an incursion into the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine accompanied by a Russian declaration of Donbas as an independent republic; or a Donbas incursion followed by an invasion and annexation of all of the eastern part of the country. The worst-case assessment is that Putin is preparing to take the entire country — the scenario that would most likely produce the greatest casualties and, presumably, prompt the harshest sanctions from the United States and Europe. Putin, Milley told lawmakers, is putting in the “military capability to do any and all, building himself a set of options.” The unclassified parts of the briefings to lawmakers were described to The New York Times by officials in the room, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Diplomats and intelligence officials from three other countries involved in seeking to deter a Russian invasion confirmed the broad outlines of the status of Russian forces, although they disagreed about the importance of certain elements. After hearing from administration officials, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told reporters that a Russian invasion was a “near certainty.” He added that “if we now live in an era where someone can move into a country and just take it over and claim it as their own, I don’t think it’s going to stop at Ukraine,” echoing the fear that Putin may be trying to redraw the map of the continent to return to the days of the Soviet Union. Increased planning in Russia’s military apparatus began last fall, Biden administration officials told lawmakers. The expansiveness of the effort alarmed intelligence analysts, who assessed that Putin had concluded that he would need some 150,000 troops from 110 battalion tactical groups to conquer Ukraine, which the Russian president views as a part of Russia. The officials said that, as of this past week, Putin had amassed about 70% of the forces he would need to pull off a large-scale invasion to take the entire country, with more than 110,000 troops at the border with Ukraine from 83 battalion tactical groups. Some 14 additional groups were in transit to the border, the officials said. They said Russian troops had been positioned in a manner that suggested a pincer movement, in which Russia would invade the country from three sides. Thirty thousand troops, according to U.S. and NATO estimates, are now in Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north. Ballistic missiles in Belarus, and to the east inside Russian territory, have captured British and Ukrainian attention in recent days. The Iskander-M missiles are mounted on mobile launchers, meaning they can be rolled closer to the border in short order, and they have a range of about 300 miles. That suggests that Putin, if he chose, could begin attacking cities and military emplacements before he moved any troops over the border. Austin and Milley described to lawmakers a bristling array of additional Russian military assets that have encircled Ukraine. They include 11 amphibious assault ships, in the Black Sea and in the Mediterranean, with the capacity to carry five battalions of Russian marines who could land in Ukraine from the south, the officials said. In addition, Putin has deployed a number of submarines to the Black Sea, the defense officials told lawmakers. Putin has also deployed Special Operations forces — about 1,500 troops — near and even inside the Ukrainian border, the officials told lawmakers. Those troops, they said, work closely with the Russian military intelligence agency, the GRU, which has in the past directed cyber and other attacks on foes. European officials tend to be more skeptical that Putin would try to take the country in a large-scale invasion. Some believe that he would seek to take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where a grinding proxy war has been underway since 2014. Another theory is that Putin could expand that operation in an effort to annex all of eastern Ukraine, up to the Dnieper River. Along the way he could try to decimate Ukrainian troops in that part of the country, roughly half of the Ukrainian military. That could incite panic in the western part of Ukraine — where resistance to Russia might be highest — and prompt people to flee the country. Over time, that could lead top government officials to flee or to try to rule from exile. U.S. and European officials have made clear that a physical attack over the borders of Ukraine would lead to enormous sanctions on Russia’s banks, trade restrictions on semiconductors and other high-tech items and the freezing of the accounts of Russian oligarchs and leaders. But there is far less unanimity, as President Joe Biden himself has acknowledged, about how to respond to a “minor incursion.” Or even what a minor incursion might be. European and U.S. officials worry that Putin might try to stage a coup in Kyiv. Another possibility is a cyberattack devised by Russia that tries to bring down parts or all of Ukraine’s electric and communications infrastructure, similar to the 2015 and 2016 attacks on parts of the country’s electric grid. European officials say it is unclear how the Western allies would respond to such an attack. If they believed that the cyberoperations were a face-saving way for Putin to act and then retreat, they note, there might be a temptation to de-escalate and not seek to impose major sanctions, especially if there were few human casualties. On the other hand, a cyberattack could be a prelude to a full invasion, essentially cutting off Ukraine’s ability to communicate or track where Russian forces were coming from.

US warns of grim toll if Putin pursues full invasion of Ukraine

Russia has in place about 70% of the combat power it believes it would need for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is sending more battalion tactical groups to the border with its neighbour, two US officials said on Saturday.

In the last two weeks, the number of battalion tactical groups (BTG) in the border region has risen to 83 from 60 as of Friday and 14 more are in transit, the officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information.&nbsp;

As to the timing of an invasion, the ground is expected to reach peak freeze around Feb. 15, the officials said, allowing for off-road mechanized transit by Russian military units. Such conditions would continue until the end of March.&nbsp;

That timeline and the growing number and capability of Russian forces close to Ukraine could suggest the window for diplomacy is shutting.&nbsp;

The US officials did not provide evidence to back up their estimates of Russia's forces. &nbsp;

As Russia masses more than 100,000 troops near the border, it has said it is not planning an invasion but could take unspecified military action if its security demands are not met. Those include a promise that NATO will never admit Ukraine, a demand Washington and NATO have said is unacceptable. &nbsp;

Washington believes Russia may choose other options than a full-scale invasion, including a limited incursion, and does not believe President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision, the officials said. 
But they said Putin is putting in place a force that can execute all scenarios.&nbsp;

If Russia were to invade the capital of Kyiv, it could fall within a couple of days, the U.S. officials said.&nbsp;

A full-scale invasion would cause major casualties, one of the officials said.&nbsp;

Ukraine could suffer 5,000 to 25,000 troop casualties, while Russia's troop casualties could be between 3,000 and 10,000, and civilian casualties could range from 25,000 to 50,000, according to US estimates, the official said.&nbsp;

A full invasion would also prompt the flight of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons in Europe, Washington believes.

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Russia has in place about 70% of the combat power it believes it would need for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is sending more battalion tactical groups to the border with its neighbour, two US officials said on Saturday.

Russia has in place about 70% of the combat power it believes it would need for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is sending more battalion tactical groups to the border with its neighbour, two US officials said on Saturday. In the last two weeks, the number of battalion tactical groups (BTG) in the border region has risen to 83 from 60 as of Friday and 14 more are in transit, the officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information. As to the timing of an invasion, the ground is expected to reach peak freeze around Feb. 15, the officials said, allowing for off-road mechanized transit by Russian military units. Such conditions would continue until the end of March. That timeline and the growing number and capability of Russian forces close to Ukraine could suggest the window for diplomacy is shutting. The US officials did not provide evidence to back up their estimates of Russia's forces. As Russia masses more than 100,000 troops near the border, it has said it is not planning an invasion but could take unspecified military action if its security demands are not met. Those include a promise that NATO will never admit Ukraine, a demand Washington and NATO have said is unacceptable. Washington believes Russia may choose other options than a full-scale invasion, including a limited incursion, and does not believe President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision, the officials said. But they said Putin is putting in place a force that can execute all scenarios. If Russia were to invade the capital of Kyiv, it could fall within a couple of days, the U.S. officials said. A full-scale invasion would cause major casualties, one of the officials said. Ukraine could suffer 5,000 to 25,000 troop casualties, while Russia's troop casualties could be between 3,000 and 10,000, and civilian casualties could range from 25,000 to 50,000, according to US estimates, the official said. A full invasion would also prompt the flight of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons in Europe, Washington believes. ×

US officials say Russian forces at 70% of level needed for full Ukraine invasion

The first batch of US troops reinforcing NATO allies in eastern Europe has arrived at Rzeszow military base in southeastern&nbsp;Poland.

"As announced, the first elements of the brigade battle group from the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army have arrived in Poland," a Polish military spokesman said.

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Major Przemyslaw Lipczynski added that the bulk of a contingent of 1,700 US soldiers would come "soon".

It comes after US President Joe Biden ordered nearly 3,000 extra troops to defend NATO members against any "aggression".

The new plan goes above and beyond the 8,500 troops the Pentagon put on alert last month to deploy to Europe if needed.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-weapons-has-ukraine-received-from-western-countries-to-resist-russias-army-449650">What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army?</a>

NATO defence ministers are expected to discuss further reinforcements at their next meeting on February 16-17.

Russia says NATO, the American-led alliance that has on its hands the biggest European crisis in decades, must never offer membership to Ukraine, which gained independence as the Soviet Union broke apart about 30 years ago.&nbsp;

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beyond-full-scale-attack-on-ukraine-what-are-other-risky-options-does-russia-have-448771">Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have?</a>

Western capitals have accused Russia of amassing some 100,000 troops on the borders of pro-Western Ukraine in preparation for an invasion and have vowed to impose devastating sanctions on Moscow if it attacks.

Moscow has denied plans to invade Ukraine but has deployed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders and says it could take unspecified military measures if its demands are not met, including a promise by NATO never to admit Kyiv.

The Biden administration says Russia is now capable of a wide range of actions, including a full-scale invasion to capture Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says NATO has gone too far not only by providing Ukraine with weaponry and military training but also by stationing forces in other Eastern European countries that compromise Russian security.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The first batch of US troops reinforcing NATO allies in eastern Europe has arrived at Rzeszow military base in southeastern Poland. "As announced, the first elements of the brigade battle group from the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army have arrived in Poland," a Polish military spokesman said.

The first batch of US troops reinforcing NATO allies in eastern Europe has arrived at Rzeszow military base in southeastern Poland. "As announced, the first elements of the brigade battle group from the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army have arrived in Poland," a Polish military spokesman said. Major Przemyslaw Lipczynski added that the bulk of a contingent of 1,700 US soldiers would come "soon". It comes after US President Joe Biden ordered nearly 3,000 extra troops to defend NATO members against any "aggression". The new plan goes above and beyond the 8,500 troops the Pentagon put on alert last month to deploy to Europe if needed. Also see | What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army? NATO defence ministers are expected to discuss further reinforcements at their next meeting on February 16-17. Russia says NATO, the American-led alliance that has on its hands the biggest European crisis in decades, must never offer membership to Ukraine, which gained independence as the Soviet Union broke apart about 30 years ago. Also see | Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have? Western capitals have accused Russia of amassing some 100,000 troops on the borders of pro-Western Ukraine in preparation for an invasion and have vowed to impose devastating sanctions on Moscow if it attacks. Moscow has denied plans to invade Ukraine but has deployed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders and says it could take unspecified military measures if its demands are not met, including a promise by NATO never to admit Kyiv. The Biden administration says Russia is now capable of a wide range of actions, including a full-scale invasion to capture Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin says NATO has gone too far not only by providing Ukraine with weaponry and military training but also by stationing forces in other Eastern European countries that compromise Russian security. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine crisis: US reinforcement troops arrive in Poland

US President Biden on Wednesday approved the deployment of additional 3,000 US military troops to Eastern Europe as per a senior administration official.

"The Department of Defense will reposition certain Europe-based units further east, forward-deploy additional US-based units to Europe, and maintain the heightened state of readiness of response forces" to meet commitments to NATO, the administration official said.

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Biden has said he will not put American troops in Ukraine to fight any Russian incursion, although the United States is supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself.

"These forces are not going to fight in Ukraine. They are not permanent moves. They respond to current conditions," the official added

The move is being viwed by experts as Washington reinforcement towards its allies against what it describes as a Russian threat to invade Ukraine.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-weapons-has-ukraine-received-from-western-countries-to-resist-russias-army-449650">What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army?</a>

Moscow, which has massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, denies any plan to invade its neighbour but says it could take unspecified military measures if demands are not met, including a promise by NATO never to admit Kyiv.

According to US media reports, around 2,000 troops will be sent from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Poland and Germany, while another 1,000 already in Germany will be moved to Romania.

The Pentagon also has put about 8,500 US-based troops on higher alert for possible deployment to Europe as additional reassurance to allies, and officials have indicated the possibility that additional units could be placed on higher alert soon.&nbsp;

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beyond-full-scale-attack-on-ukraine-what-are-other-risky-options-does-russia-have-448771">Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have?</a>

The US already has between 75,000 and 80,000 troops in Europe as permanently stationed forces and as part of regular rotations in place such as Poland.

Washington and Moscow have been at loggerheads over Ukraine, with little sign of a diplomatic path forward.

In his first public remarks on the standoff in more than a month, Putin on Tuesday accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russia’s central security demands but he said that Moscow is willing to talk more to ease tensions over Ukraine.

His remarks suggested that a potential Russian invasion may not be imminent and that at least one more round of diplomacy is likely.

Ukraine has been battling Moscow-backed insurgencies in two separatist regions since 2014, when Moscow annexed the peninsula of Crimea.

More than 13,000 people have been killed in the fighting, the last major ongoing war in Europe.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

US President Biden on Wednesday approved the deployment of additional 3,000 US military troops to Eastern Europe as per a senior administration official. "The Department of Defense will reposition certain Europe-based units further east, forward-deploy additional US-based units to Europe, and maintain the heightened state of readiness of response forces" to meet commitments to NATO, the administration official said.

US President Biden on Wednesday approved the deployment of additional 3,000 US military troops to Eastern Europe as per a senior administration official. "The Department of Defense will reposition certain Europe-based units further east, forward-deploy additional US-based units to Europe, and maintain the heightened state of readiness of response forces" to meet commitments to NATO, the administration official said. Biden has said he will not put American troops in Ukraine to fight any Russian incursion, although the United States is supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself. "These forces are not going to fight in Ukraine. They are not permanent moves. They respond to current conditions," the official added The move is being viwed by experts as Washington reinforcement towards its allies against what it describes as a Russian threat to invade Ukraine. Also see | What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army? Moscow, which has massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, denies any plan to invade its neighbour but says it could take unspecified military measures if demands are not met, including a promise by NATO never to admit Kyiv. According to US media reports, around 2,000 troops will be sent from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Poland and Germany, while another 1,000 already in Germany will be moved to Romania. The Pentagon also has put about 8,500 US-based troops on higher alert for possible deployment to Europe as additional reassurance to allies, and officials have indicated the possibility that additional units could be placed on higher alert soon. Also see | Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have? The US already has between 75,000 and 80,000 troops in Europe as permanently stationed forces and as part of regular rotations in place such as Poland. Washington and Moscow have been at loggerheads over Ukraine, with little sign of a diplomatic path forward. In his first public remarks on the standoff in more than a month, Putin on Tuesday accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russia’s central security demands but he said that Moscow is willing to talk more to ease tensions over Ukraine. His remarks suggested that a potential Russian invasion may not be imminent and that at least one more round of diplomacy is likely. Ukraine has been battling Moscow-backed insurgencies in two separatist regions since 2014, when Moscow annexed the peninsula of Crimea. More than 13,000 people have been killed in the fighting, the last major ongoing war in Europe. (With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden approves deployment of additional 3,000 troops to eastern Europe: Report

Ufologist Nick Pope has said that the Russia-Ukraine crisis is deterring aliens from making their presence known.

During an interview with British tabloid the Daily Star, Pope said “highly evolved extraterrestrials probably regard warfare as something that only primitive civilizations engage in.”

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-ufos-aliens-science-391209/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“The Ukraine situation means we’re unlikely to get an invitation to join the Galactic Federation for the time being.”&nbsp;

“Aliens might wonder at the wisdom of the UK going up against Russia, but would probably realize that being in a coalition helps,” he added.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-weapons-has-ukraine-received-from-western-countries-to-resist-russias-army-449650">What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army?</a>

Russia has massed some 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, a buildup the West says is preparation for a war to prevent Ukraine from ever joining the NATO Western security alliance.

Moscow denies any plans to invade, instead accusing the West of failing to respect Moscow's security concerns on its borders.

The Kremlin has demanded that NATO guarantee that Kyiv never be allowed to join NATO and that the alliance withdraw forces from eastern member states that were Soviet allies or republics during the Cold War.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/beyond-full-scale-attack-on-ukraine-what-are-other-risky-options-does-russia-have-448771">Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have?</a>

Washington and its NATO allies have offered Moscow arms control and trust-building measures to defuse the threat of a new Russian offensive against Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has repeatedly played down the prospect of an imminent invasion, has signed a decree to boost his armed forces by 100,000 troops over three years.&nbsp;

Ukraine has been battling Moscow-backed insurgencies in two separatist regions since 2014, when Moscow annexed the peninsula of Crimea.

More than 13,000 people have been killed in the fighting, the last major ongoing war in Europe.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Ufologist Nick Pope has said that the Russia-Ukraine crisis is deterring aliens from making their presence known. During an interview with British tabloid the Daily Star, Pope said “highly evolved extraterrestrials probably regard warfare as something that only primitive civilizations engage in.

Ufologist Nick Pope has said that the Russia-Ukraine crisis is deterring aliens from making their presence known. During an interview with British tabloid the Daily Star, Pope said “highly evolved extraterrestrials probably regard warfare as something that only primitive civilizations engage in.” “The Ukraine situation means we’re unlikely to get an invitation to join the Galactic Federation for the time being.” “Aliens might wonder at the wisdom of the UK going up against Russia, but would probably realize that being in a coalition helps,” he added. Also see | What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army? Russia has massed some 100,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, a buildup the West says is preparation for a war to prevent Ukraine from ever joining the NATO Western security alliance. Moscow denies any plans to invade, instead accusing the West of failing to respect Moscow's security concerns on its borders. The Kremlin has demanded that NATO guarantee that Kyiv never be allowed to join NATO and that the alliance withdraw forces from eastern member states that were Soviet allies or republics during the Cold War. Also see | Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have? Washington and its NATO allies have offered Moscow arms control and trust-building measures to defuse the threat of a new Russian offensive against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has repeatedly played down the prospect of an imminent invasion, has signed a decree to boost his armed forces by 100,000 troops over three years. Ukraine has been battling Moscow-backed insurgencies in two separatist regions since 2014, when Moscow annexed the peninsula of Crimea. More than 13,000 people have been killed in the fighting, the last major ongoing war in Europe. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine crisis deterring aliens from making their presence known, says UFO specialist

The soldiers live in dugout bunkers, and cook all their own meals. They dry their wet socks on clotheslines underground. Many of their weapons are remnants of the Soviet era, half a century old.

In the icy trenches of eastern Ukraine, where government troops are fighting Russian-backed separatists, one of the critical issues in the standoff between Russia and the West — should Ukraine be allowed to join NATO? — seems hardly pressing or even relevant: Little about the day-to-day activities of Ukrainian soldiers suggests the kind of sophisticated, contemporary military that distinguishes NATO members.

“You dig a hole, then you sleep in that damned hole,” said Pvt. Yuri Todorchuk, who is 53, summing up service in the Ukrainian army in the east. “Even younger men have sore backs” from all the digging, he said.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has massed about 130,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, stoking fears of an imminent invasion by an upgraded and lethal Russian fighting force. And he has insisted to the United States and Western Europe that Ukraine must never be allowed to join NATO, a demand the West has rejected.

But several days of observation at the front lines last week showed the grinding, relatively low-tech tactics of the Ukrainian army. Hard-pressed for soldiers, the military now admits enlisted men up to age 57 on three-year contracts. It has been reforming and re-arming but remains almost wholly focused on the manpower-intensive trench fighting in the east, a decidedly old-fashioned form of war.

The eight men in one small unit, Lima squad, part of a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, arrived at their position in June and set about digging, soldiers said.

They burrowed out their underground homes — two sleeping quarters, each with four bunks; a subterranean kitchen; and a room for steam baths — and have lived in these cavelike spaces since.

Above ground, plastic sheeting claps in a freezing wind. With separatist trenches close by, in a tree line across a snowy field, the only truly safe place is underground.

Nothing about the unit suggests a connection to NATO other than the name, Lima, which is the NATO phonetic alphabet designation for the letter L. Under an overhaul as part of Ukraine’s aspiration to join the alliance, military units were renamed according to NATO standards.

The conflict is fought mostly with rifles, machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, mortars and artillery systems dating to the 1970s or earlier. The United States has sold Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine since 2018, but they are intended mainly to repel a broad Russian attack, not for use on the front. Turkey provides another of the country’s newer weapons, the Bayraktar TB2 armed drone, but the Ukrainian military has acknowledged using it only once in combat, last October.

Still, military analysts say the force is in far better shape than in 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula and fomented the war in the east. The United States has provided $2.7 billion in military assistance in the years since. In recent weeks, it authorized Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send U.S.-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, and Britain has provided guided anti-tank missiles.

And the Ukrainian army is battle hardened. About 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers, including about 13,000 women, have gone through rotations along the eastern front, providing a pool of veteran fighters who might be called up in the event of war. On Tuesday President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an order declaring his intention to add 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s military over three years, and increase soldiers’ pay.

But multiple rotations have also taken a heavy toll, soldiers in this position, who range in age from 25 to 59, said. Pvt. Volodymyr Murdza, 53, is halfway through his second three-year contract. His son is also serving in the war and his wife worries terribly, he said. “She calls and says, ‘I worry because you don’t call me,’” Murdza said. “And I say, ‘Dearest, sunshine, I call whenever I can.’”

The closeness of the lines is a continual source of unease, Murdza said. Just two days earlier, a soldier from another unit serving in a position 100 or so yards away was wounded from shrapnel from a mortar, after the Russian-backed separatists apparently ascertained its location.

So, in the pre-dawn, three soldiers in Lima squad awoke for an operation to prevent a similar setback in their small maze of trenches.

The orders were to fire a heavy machine gun from a position where it is not typically stationed. The soldiers described opening up with the gun as a routine necessity, to mislead the other side about the location of their positions, and prevent an attack. Neither side observed repeated political announcements of cease-fires. The most recent cease-fire announcement came last week, after diplomatic talks between Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine in Paris.

“Are you ready?” one of the soldiers asked, pulling back a lever to load the gun. “It’s happening now.” It was 3 a.m.

With that, a small, log-framed dugout filled with the roar of the 50-calber machine gun, muzzle flashes and acrid smoke. A few bursts of a dozen or so bullets each were fired.

In the distance, across the pitch-black, fallow farm field that separates the two sides, answering volleys rang out. But the shots went wide, flying overhead dozens of yards from the Ukrainian dugout. A radio crackled. Then it was silent again, except for the crunch of Ukrainian soldiers’ footsteps in the snow as they returned to their usual position.

The level of violence has ebbed and flowed over the eight years of war in eastern Ukraine, but it has mostly been a low-intensity conflict.

Deployments that last six to eight months are hard, but so are leaves at home, said Pvt. Roman Leskiv, 30, the commander of Lima squad, who has been serving in the east since the war started.

“It feels stifling; people don’t understand me,” said Leskiv, explaining that after so many years at the front he has trouble assimilating to life away from it. “Vacation is the hardest part of the year for me.”

But seeing only the faces of the same half-dozen other men, for months on end, also grates on his nerves.

A few years ago, he married a nurse who had treated him in hospital after a shrapnel wound, but they divorced.

“She asked, ‘When will you come home?’” said Leskiv, sitting by the wood fire in the unit’s kitchen, running a hand over a scar on his scalp underneath his buzz-cut hair. “And I said, ‘Soon, soon, soon.’ But soon never happened.”

Dr. Oleksandr Astrakhantsev, the doctor assigned to the larger unit that Lima squad reports to, treats battle wounds, mostly from shrapnel, but also everyday ailments of men in their 50s living in rough circumstances. “In these conditions, any problem becomes more acute,” from stress to lack of sleep, he said.

Psychological difficulties also arise. “When you see the same faces every day, and every day nothing changes, it can get you down,” Astrakhantsev said. Soldiers recede into themselves, stop talking.

“We used to call it Afghan syndrome,” he said. “Everybody out here has it. Even if a soldier goes home, a part of him stays out here in the east.” 
&nbsp;

The soldiers live in dugout bunkers, and cook all their own meals. They dry their wet socks on clotheslines underground. Many of their weapons are remnants of the Soviet era, half a century old.

The soldiers live in dugout bunkers, and cook all their own meals. They dry their wet socks on clotheslines underground. Many of their weapons are remnants of the Soviet era, half a century old. In the icy trenches of eastern Ukraine, where government troops are fighting Russian-backed separatists, one of the critical issues in the standoff between Russia and the West — should Ukraine be allowed to join NATO? — seems hardly pressing or even relevant: Little about the day-to-day activities of Ukrainian soldiers suggests the kind of sophisticated, contemporary military that distinguishes NATO members. “You dig a hole, then you sleep in that damned hole,” said Pvt. Yuri Todorchuk, who is 53, summing up service in the Ukrainian army in the east. “Even younger men have sore backs” from all the digging, he said. President Vladimir Putin of Russia has massed about 130,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, stoking fears of an imminent invasion by an upgraded and lethal Russian fighting force. And he has insisted to the United States and Western Europe that Ukraine must never be allowed to join NATO, a demand the West has rejected. But several days of observation at the front lines last week showed the grinding, relatively low-tech tactics of the Ukrainian army. Hard-pressed for soldiers, the military now admits enlisted men up to age 57 on three-year contracts. It has been reforming and re-arming but remains almost wholly focused on the manpower-intensive trench fighting in the east, a decidedly old-fashioned form of war. The eight men in one small unit, Lima squad, part of a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, arrived at their position in June and set about digging, soldiers said. They burrowed out their underground homes — two sleeping quarters, each with four bunks; a subterranean kitchen; and a room for steam baths — and have lived in these cavelike spaces since. Above ground, plastic sheeting claps in a freezing wind. With separatist trenches close by, in a tree line across a snowy field, the only truly safe place is underground. Nothing about the unit suggests a connection to NATO other than the name, Lima, which is the NATO phonetic alphabet designation for the letter L. Under an overhaul as part of Ukraine’s aspiration to join the alliance, military units were renamed according to NATO standards. The conflict is fought mostly with rifles, machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, mortars and artillery systems dating to the 1970s or earlier. The United States has sold Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine since 2018, but they are intended mainly to repel a broad Russian attack, not for use on the front. Turkey provides another of the country’s newer weapons, the Bayraktar TB2 armed drone, but the Ukrainian military has acknowledged using it only once in combat, last October. Still, military analysts say the force is in far better shape than in 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula and fomented the war in the east. The United States has provided $2.7 billion in military assistance in the years since. In recent weeks, it authorized Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send U.S.-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, and Britain has provided guided anti-tank missiles. And the Ukrainian army is battle hardened. About 400,000 Ukrainian soldiers, including about 13,000 women, have gone through rotations along the eastern front, providing a pool of veteran fighters who might be called up in the event of war. On Tuesday President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an order declaring his intention to add 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s military over three years, and increase soldiers’ pay. But multiple rotations have also taken a heavy toll, soldiers in this position, who range in age from 25 to 59, said. Pvt. Volodymyr Murdza, 53, is halfway through his second three-year contract. His son is also serving in the war and his wife worries terribly, he said. “She calls and says, ‘I worry because you don’t call me,’” Murdza said. “And I say, ‘Dearest, sunshine, I call whenever I can.’” The closeness of the lines is a continual source of unease, Murdza said. Just two days earlier, a soldier from another unit serving in a position 100 or so yards away was wounded from shrapnel from a mortar, after the Russian-backed separatists apparently ascertained its location. So, in the pre-dawn, three soldiers in Lima squad awoke for an operation to prevent a similar setback in their small maze of trenches. The orders were to fire a heavy machine gun from a position where it is not typically stationed. The soldiers described opening up with the gun as a routine necessity, to mislead the other side about the location of their positions, and prevent an attack. Neither side observed repeated political announcements of cease-fires. The most recent cease-fire announcement came last week, after diplomatic talks between Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine in Paris. “Are you ready?” one of the soldiers asked, pulling back a lever to load the gun. “It’s happening now.” It was 3 a.m. With that, a small, log-framed dugout filled with the roar of the 50-calber machine gun, muzzle flashes and acrid smoke. A few bursts of a dozen or so bullets each were fired. In the distance, across the pitch-black, fallow farm field that separates the two sides, answering volleys rang out. But the shots went wide, flying overhead dozens of yards from the Ukrainian dugout. A radio crackled. Then it was silent again, except for the crunch of Ukrainian soldiers’ footsteps in the snow as they returned to their usual position. The level of violence has ebbed and flowed over the eight years of war in eastern Ukraine, but it has mostly been a low-intensity conflict. Deployments that last six to eight months are hard, but so are leaves at home, said Pvt. Roman Leskiv, 30, the commander of Lima squad, who has been serving in the east since the war started. “It feels stifling; people don’t understand me,” said Leskiv, explaining that after so many years at the front he has trouble assimilating to life away from it. “Vacation is the hardest part of the year for me.” But seeing only the faces of the same half-dozen other men, for months on end, also grates on his nerves. A few years ago, he married a nurse who had treated him in hospital after a shrapnel wound, but they divorced. “She asked, ‘When will you come home?’” said Leskiv, sitting by the wood fire in the unit’s kitchen, running a hand over a scar on his scalp underneath his buzz-cut hair. “And I said, ‘Soon, soon, soon.’ But soon never happened.” Dr. Oleksandr Astrakhantsev, the doctor assigned to the larger unit that Lima squad reports to, treats battle wounds, mostly from shrapnel, but also everyday ailments of men in their 50s living in rough circumstances. “In these conditions, any problem becomes more acute,” from stress to lack of sleep, he said. Psychological difficulties also arise. “When you see the same faces every day, and every day nothing changes, it can get you down,” Astrakhantsev said. Soldiers recede into themselves, stop talking. “We used to call it Afghan syndrome,” he said. “Everybody out here has it. Even if a soldier goes home, a part of him stays out here in the east.”

With low-tech, trench warfare, Ukraine's army isn’t NATO caliber

What weapons has Ukraine received from Western countries to resist Russia's army?

Fears of an imminent Russian incursion in Ukraine have grown in recent days and as tensions continue to rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic call to discuss the Ukraine border situation and concerns over security in Europe.&nbsp;

In a statement, Kremlin said, "The leaders expressed their views on the situation regarding Ukraine as well as issues related to providing Russia with long-term and legally-binding security guarantees."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-will-face-swift-and-severe-consequences-biden-to-putin-at-unsc-over-ukraine-449332">Russia will 'face swift and severe consequences': Biden to Putin at UNSC over Ukraine</a>

The French presidency said that the telephonic conversation was part of Macron's efforts to de-escalate tensions both the leaders welcomed "positive progress" following talks between Russian, French, German and Ukrainian representatives.&nbsp;

They have also supported further dialogue to implement Ukraine ceasefire agreements brokered in 2015 and the Kremlin added that both the leader have discussed the possibility of a face-to-face meeting.&nbsp;

Amid a war-like situation, Macron reaffirmed France's solidarity with Ukraine in a phone call on Friday with President Volodymyr Zelensky.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unsc-session-on-ukraine-crisis-who-said-what-449326">UNSC session on Ukraine crisis: Who said what</a>

However, he has been vouching for diplomatic ways of solving the highly sensitive border crisis, that will have its impact across Europe.&nbsp;

Macron has reiterated his determination to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty but in an earlier phone call, Macron and Putin had agreed on the need to "de-escalate" the situation.&nbsp;

A couple of days ago, Zelensky had urged the Western countries to remain "vigilant" and "firm" in talks. After his phone call with Macron late on Friday that intensive international negotiations reduced "the chance of escalation" in Kyiv's stand-off with Moscow.&nbsp;

In one of his tweets, he had said, "As long as conditions are conducive, we must meet &amp; talk."&nbsp;

Western countries, especially the United States accused Russia of amassing thousands of troops, however, Russia's UN ambassador recently said there was "no proof" Moscow was planning military action and that Russia had never confirmed the West's assertion that it had amassed 100,000 troops near its neighbour.&nbsp;

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Fears of an imminent Russian incursion in Ukraine have grown in recent days and as tensions continue to rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic call to discuss the Ukraine border situation and concerns over security in Europe.

Fears of an imminent Russian incursion in Ukraine have grown in recent days and as tensions continue to rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron held a telephonic call to discuss the Ukraine border situation and concerns over security in Europe. In a statement, Kremlin said, "The leaders expressed their views on the situation regarding Ukraine as well as issues related to providing Russia with long-term and legally-binding security guarantees." ALSO READ | Russia will 'face swift and severe consequences': Biden to Putin at UNSC over Ukraine The French presidency said that the telephonic conversation was part of Macron's efforts to de-escalate tensions both the leaders welcomed "positive progress" following talks between Russian, French, German and Ukrainian representatives. They have also supported further dialogue to implement Ukraine ceasefire agreements brokered in 2015 and the Kremlin added that both the leader have discussed the possibility of a face-to-face meeting. Amid a war-like situation, Macron reaffirmed France's solidarity with Ukraine in a phone call on Friday with President Volodymyr Zelensky. ALSO READ | UNSC session on Ukraine crisis: Who said what However, he has been vouching for diplomatic ways of solving the highly sensitive border crisis, that will have its impact across Europe. Macron has reiterated his determination to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty but in an earlier phone call, Macron and Putin had agreed on the need to "de-escalate" the situation. A couple of days ago, Zelensky had urged the Western countries to remain "vigilant" and "firm" in talks. After his phone call with Macron late on Friday that intensive international negotiations reduced "the chance of escalation" in Kyiv's stand-off with Moscow. In one of his tweets, he had said, "As long as conditions are conducive, we must meet & talk." Western countries, especially the United States accused Russia of amassing thousands of troops, however, Russia's UN ambassador recently said there was "no proof" Moscow was planning military action and that Russia had never confirmed the West's assertion that it had amassed 100,000 troops near its neighbour. ×

Russia-Ukraine crisis: Where does France stand?

Kyiv has urged Russia to pull back its troops from Ukraine's border and must continue diplomatic engagement with the West if Moscow is serious when it says it doesn't want a new war.&nbsp;

Moscow has deployed tens of thousands of troops, weapons, tanks, ammunition on the border of Ukraine, causing fears of invasion and resulting Russia-West relations at the lowest point since the Cold War.&nbsp;

However, pushing forward the efforts to de-escalate the heightened tensions between the two countries, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba re-affirmed the continuation of diplomatic engagement between Russia and the West countries. &nbsp;

Kuleba tweeted: "If Russian officials are serious when they say they don't want a new war, Russia must continue diplomatic engagement and pull back military forces it amassed along Ukraine's borders and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine." "Diplomacy is the only responsible way," he said.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-want-mutually-respectful-ties-with-us-says-russian-foreign-minister-448989">We want 'mutually respectful' ties with US, says Russian foreign minister&nbsp;</a>

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If Russian officials are serious when they say they don’t want a new war, Russia must continue diplomatic engagement and pull back military forces it amassed along Ukraine’s borders and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Diplomacy is the only responsible way.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) <a href="https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1487824698964680704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Moscow has denied fears for an invasion and said it does not want war but is seeking security guarantees from Washington and NATO to curb the eastwards expansion of the alliance.

These include a guarantee that NATO will not admit new members, in particular Ukraine, and the United States will not establish new military bases in ex-Soviet countries.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-crisis-uk-to-offer-nato-military-deployment-in-europe-kyiv-urges-west-to-be-firm-in-talks-448866">Russia-Ukraine crisis: UK to offer NATO military deployment in Europe; Kyiv urges West to be 'firm' in talks</a>

On one side Ukraine is advocating for diplomatic ways to diffuse the situation, on the other hand, Kyiv is also urging the West to remain "vigilant and firm" in its talks with Russia.&nbsp;

On Saturday, in a phone conversation with French counterpart Yves Le Drian, Kuleba weighed in on de-escalation efforts. Kuleba urged the West to remain "vigilant and firm in contacts with the Russian side"&nbsp;

As per the statement, the talks between the two highlighted the need to "refrain from steps that could fuel anxiety" in Ukrainian society. Also, the need to "undermine the financial stability".&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;US officials threaten to impose sanction on Russia if latter invades Ukraine

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Kyiv has urged Russia to pull back its troops from Ukraine's border and must continue diplomatic engagement with the West if Moscow is serious when it says it doesn't want a new war.

Kyiv has urged Russia to pull back its troops from Ukraine's border and must continue diplomatic engagement with the West if Moscow is serious when it says it doesn't want a new war. Moscow has deployed tens of thousands of troops, weapons, tanks, ammunition on the border of Ukraine, causing fears of invasion and resulting Russia-West relations at the lowest point since the Cold War. However, pushing forward the efforts to de-escalate the heightened tensions between the two countries, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba re-affirmed the continuation of diplomatic engagement between Russia and the West countries. Kuleba tweeted: "If Russian officials are serious when they say they don't want a new war, Russia must continue diplomatic engagement and pull back military forces it amassed along Ukraine's borders and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine." "Diplomacy is the only responsible way," he said. ALSO READ | We want 'mutually respectful' ties with US, says Russian foreign minister If Russian officials are serious when they say they don’t want a new war, Russia must continue diplomatic engagement and pull back military forces it amassed along Ukraine’s borders and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Diplomacy is the only responsible way. — Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) January 30, 2022 × Moscow has denied fears for an invasion and said it does not want war but is seeking security guarantees from Washington and NATO to curb the eastwards expansion of the alliance. These include a guarantee that NATO will not admit new members, in particular Ukraine, and the United States will not establish new military bases in ex-Soviet countries. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine crisis: UK to offer NATO military deployment in Europe; Kyiv urges West to be 'firm' in talks On one side Ukraine is advocating for diplomatic ways to diffuse the situation, on the other hand, Kyiv is also urging the West to remain "vigilant and firm" in its talks with Russia. On Saturday, in a phone conversation with French counterpart Yves Le Drian, Kuleba weighed in on de-escalation efforts. Kuleba urged the West to remain "vigilant and firm in contacts with the Russian side" As per the statement, the talks between the two highlighted the need to "refrain from steps that could fuel anxiety" in Ukrainian society. Also, the need to "undermine the financial stability". ALSO READ | US officials threaten to impose sanction on Russia if latter invades Ukraine ×

Amid war-like situation, Ukraine asks Russia to pull back troops: 'Diplomacy is the only responsible way'

Here are some of the top stories to start off your day:&nbsp;

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that diplomacy is the only responsible way to resolve border issues with Russia. US issued a straightforward call to North Korea to join direct negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programmes with no preconditions. The first-ever yoga festival of Saudi Arabia was held at Bay La Sun Beach in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Saturday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-war-like-situation-ukraine-asks-russia-to-pull-back-troops-diplomacy-is-the-only-responsible-way-449079">Amid war-like situation, Ukraine asks Russia to pull back troops: 'Diplomacy is the only responsible way'</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/01/31/237377-ukraine-2.jpg" />Kyiv has urged Russia to pull back its troops from Ukraine's border and must continue diplomatic engagement with the West if Moscow is serious when it says it doesn't want a new war.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-latest-missile-test-by-pyongyang-us-urges-north-korea-to-join-direct-talks-449073">After the latest missile test by Pyongyang, US urges North Korea to join direct talks&nbsp;</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/01/30/237356-fkugsaawuaq79mc.jpeg" />After Pyongyang sent a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into space on Sunday, the US issued a straightforward call to North Korea to join direct negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programmes with no preconditions.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-intercepts-ballistic-missile-fired-by-yemens-houthi-rebels-449086">UAE intercepts ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/01/31/237385-uae.jpg" /> 
It was not immediately clear about the location of the place where the missile remnants fell. There was no immediate effect on air travel in the UAE. The Emirati Defense Ministry has also released black-and-white footage, which it said to be showing the destruction of a ballistic missile launcher in Yemen's al-Jawf province just 30 minutes after the attack. 
 
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Here are some of the top stories to start off your day: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that diplomacy is the only responsible way to resolve border issues with Russia.

Here are some of the top stories to start off your day: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that diplomacy is the only responsible way to resolve border issues with Russia. US issued a straightforward call to North Korea to join direct negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programmes with no preconditions. The first-ever yoga festival of Saudi Arabia was held at Bay La Sun Beach in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Amid war-like situation, Ukraine asks Russia to pull back troops: 'Diplomacy is the only responsible way' Kyiv has urged Russia to pull back its troops from Ukraine's border and must continue diplomatic engagement with the West if Moscow is serious when it says it doesn't want a new war. After the latest missile test by Pyongyang, US urges North Korea to join direct talks After Pyongyang sent a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile into space on Sunday, the US issued a straightforward call to North Korea to join direct negotiations regarding its nuclear and missile programmes with no preconditions. UAE intercepts ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels It was not immediately clear about the location of the place where the missile remnants fell. There was no immediate effect on air travel in the UAE. The Emirati Defense Ministry has also released black-and-white footage, which it said to be showing the destruction of a ballistic missile launcher in Yemen's al-Jawf province just 30 minutes after the attack. Watch | WION Exclusive: Meet the woman, Nouf Marwaai, who brought yoga to Saudi Arabia Watch | Covid News: 34 new cases among Beijing Olympic-related personnel

Morning News Brief: Russia-Ukraine conflict, US-North Korea talks and more

A third of Ukrainians (33.3%) are willing to take up guns to defend their nation against a Russian invasion, while another 21.7 percent are willing to fight back by joining a civic resistance movement.

According to Ukrinform, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted a survey from December 3-11, 2021.

In December 2021, the KIIS, as part of the Omnibus, questioned respondents: "Would you take any action, and if so, what exactly?" if Russia invaded their town or hamlet.The poll's findings demonstrate that Ukrainians will reject Russian invaders in general, " the statement continues.&nbsp;

According to the survey, every third responder (33.3%) is prepared to engage in armed resistance.

Another 21.7 per cent are willing to take part in civil disobedience actions.

In general, 50.2 per cent of Ukrainians say they are prepared to repel some form of aggression.

14.8 percent said they'd relocate to a safer location, 9.3 percent said they'd flee the country, and 18.6 percent said they'd do nothing.

Another 12.1% had not made up their mind on the issue, and 1.1% refused to answer.

People's propensity to oppose attack varies by location, ranging from 60.5 percent in the west to 37.2 percent in the east.

People in 39.7% of the west and 25.6 percent of the east are willing to offer armed opposition.

(With inputs from agencies)

A third of Ukrainians (33.3%) are willing to take up guns to defend their nation against a Russian invasion, while another 21.7 percent are willing to fight back by joining a civic resistance movement.

A third of Ukrainians (33.3%) are willing to take up guns to defend their nation against a Russian invasion, while another 21.7 percent are willing to fight back by joining a civic resistance movement. According to Ukrinform, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) conducted a survey from December 3-11, 2021. In December 2021, the KIIS, as part of the Omnibus, questioned respondents: "Would you take any action, and if so, what exactly?" if Russia invaded their town or hamlet.The poll's findings demonstrate that Ukrainians will reject Russian invaders in general, " the statement continues. According to the survey, every third responder (33.3%) is prepared to engage in armed resistance. Another 21.7 per cent are willing to take part in civil disobedience actions. In general, 50.2 per cent of Ukrainians say they are prepared to repel some form of aggression. 14.8 percent said they'd relocate to a safer location, 9.3 percent said they'd flee the country, and 18.6 percent said they'd do nothing. Another 12.1% had not made up their mind on the issue, and 1.1% refused to answer. People's propensity to oppose attack varies by location, ranging from 60.5 percent in the west to 37.2 percent in the east. People in 39.7% of the west and 25.6 percent of the east are willing to offer armed opposition. (With inputs from agencies)

Every third Ukrainian ready to put up armed resistance to Russians: Study

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on &nbsp;Saturday (January 29) that Britain is preparing to offer NATO a "major" deployment of troops, weapons, warships and jets in Europe amid the Russia-Ukraine border crisis.&nbsp;

Johnson said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin chose "bloodshed and destruction" in Ukraine, it would be "a tragedy for Europe". He further said that "Ukraine must be free to choose its own future".&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-moves-blood-supplies-near-ukraine-adding-to-us-concern-officials-say-448801">Russia moves blood supplies near Ukraine, adding to US concern, officials say</a>

The formal announcement is set to be made to NATO military chiefs next week. The move means Britain could double approximately 1,150 UK troops, currently in eastern European countries as UK PM Johnson said the deployment would send a "clear message to the Kremlin".&nbsp;

Johnson said in a statement late Saturday, "This package would send a clear message to the Kremlin -- we will not tolerate their destabilising activity, and we will always stand with our NATO allies in the face Russian hostility."&nbsp;

"I have ordered our Armed Forces to prepare to deploy across Europe next week, ensuring we are able to support our NATO allies on land, at sea and in the air," he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<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>

On the other hand, Kyiv on Saturday has urged the West to remain "vigilant and firm" in its talks with Russia.&nbsp;

In a conversation with French counterpart Yves Le Drian, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday weighed in on de-escalation efforts. Kuleba urged the West to remain "vigilant and firm in contacts with the Russian side"&nbsp;

As per the statement, the talks between the two highlighted the need to "refrain from steps that could fuel anxiety" in Ukrainian society. Also, the need to "undermine the financial stability".&nbsp;

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had urged his Western partners to avoid stirring "panic" over the massive Russian troop buildup.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Sanctions imposed on Moscow as tensions on Russia-Ukraine border continue to simmer

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The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday (January 29) that Britain is preparing to offer NATO a "major" deployment of troops, weapons, warships and jets in Europe amid the Russia-Ukraine border crisis.

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday (January 29) that Britain is preparing to offer NATO a "major" deployment of troops, weapons, warships and jets in Europe amid the Russia-Ukraine border crisis. Johnson said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin chose "bloodshed and destruction" in Ukraine, it would be "a tragedy for Europe". He further said that "Ukraine must be free to choose its own future". ALSO READ | Russia moves blood supplies near Ukraine, adding to US concern, officials say The formal announcement is set to be made to NATO military chiefs next week. The move means Britain could double approximately 1,150 UK troops, currently in eastern European countries as UK PM Johnson said the deployment would send a "clear message to the Kremlin". Johnson said in a statement late Saturday, "This package would send a clear message to the Kremlin -- we will not tolerate their destabilising activity, and we will always stand with our NATO allies in the face Russian hostility." "I have ordered our Armed Forces to prepare to deploy across Europe next week, ensuring we are able to support our NATO allies on land, at sea and in the air," he added. ALSO READ | Amid ongoing Ukraine crisis, Russian troops arrive in Belarus for military drills On the other hand, Kyiv on Saturday has urged the West to remain "vigilant and firm" in its talks with Russia. In a conversation with French counterpart Yves Le Drian, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday weighed in on de-escalation efforts. Kuleba urged the West to remain "vigilant and firm in contacts with the Russian side" As per the statement, the talks between the two highlighted the need to "refrain from steps that could fuel anxiety" in Ukrainian society. Also, the need to "undermine the financial stability". On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had urged his Western partners to avoid stirring "panic" over the massive Russian troop buildup. ALSO WATCH | Sanctions imposed on Moscow as tensions on Russia-Ukraine border continue to simmer ×

Russia-Ukraine crisis: UK to offer NATO military deployment in Europe; Kyiv urges West to be 'firm' in talks

Beyond full scale attack on Ukraine, what are other risky options does Russia have?

The Kremlin warned Thursday that there was “not much cause for optimism” that the West would satisfy Russia’s demands in the showdown over Ukraine, but said that President Vladimir Putin would take his time to study the written responses that the United States and NATO submitted a day earlier before deciding how to proceed.

“All these papers are with the president,” Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. “There will of course be some time needed to analyze them — we won’t rush to any conclusions.”

Peskov did not discuss the content of the responses, which the United States has requested be kept confidential. But he said that based on public remarks about them by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, there was little likelihood that the West would offer concessions on Russia’s central demands.

“There is not much cause for optimism,” Peskov said, replying to a question over whether Russia would be satisfied with the Western responses. “But I would continue to refrain from making any conceptual evaluations.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sounded a similarly negative note, saying in comments published on his ministry’s website that the U.S. document contained “no positive reaction” to Russia’s main demands.

The Russian officials’ comments came against the backdrop of Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine, and hours after a shooting at a Ukrainian missile factory overnight that served as a reminder of the fragile military situation on the ground. There was no immediate evidence that the shooting was related to the building military tensions in the region.

As Western fears grew over a possible Russian attack against Ukraine, Moscow published a list of demands last month that would involve NATO withdrawing troops from Eastern Europe and pledging never to allow Ukraine to join. Russia requested a response in writing, which the United States and NATO submitted Wednesday.

Lavrov said that while the U.S. response included initiatives that could serve as “the beginning of a serious conversation,” there was no sign of progress on Russia’s priority of rolling back the NATO presence in Eastern Europe. He said that consultations among Russian government officials would be followed by a briefing to Putin, who “will decide on our next steps.”

Putin, who has been silent in public on the Ukraine crisis since December, visited a cemetery in St. Petersburg on Thursday to mark the 78th anniversary of the end of the Nazis’ siege of Leningrad, in which Putin’s brother died as a child. State television aired brief footage of Putin, in a black overcoat, placing flowers onto a wreath in the snow. Peskov said the president planned no other public events.

For now, officials on all sides say there is still a chance for diplomacy to resolve the crisis.

Senior officials from Ukraine and Russia met in person in Paris for eight hours Wednesday in a session mediated by France and Germany. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on Thursday described the talks as a positive development, but emphasized the importance of adhering to the cease-fire in the eastern Ukraine region known as the Donbas, where violence occasionally flares in a long-simmering conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists.

“For our country, the first priority at this moment is achieving a stable and unconditional quiet in the Donbas,” he said in a statement.

A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexei Zaitsev, said another meeting scheduled to take place in Berlin in two weeks could identify “solutions to problems that have been piling up for seven years.” And he reiterated Russian officials’ insistence that their country had no plans to attack Ukraine.

“We see it as unacceptable to even think about war between our peoples,” Zaitsev said, according to the Interfax news agency.

But analysts say it is very likely Putin’s diplomats do not know what, exactly, their president is planning. The Kremlin is seeking to rewrite Europe’s post-Cold War order to give Russia a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe — something Putin says is critical to Russia’s long-term security. Putin has threatened unspecified “military-technical” measures if the West does not accede to Russia’s demands. 
&nbsp;

The Kremlin warned Thursday that there was “not much cause for optimism” that the West would satisfy Russia’s demands in the showdown over Ukraine, but said that President Vladimir Putin would take his time to study the written responses that the United States and NATO submitted a day earlier before deciding how to proceed.

The Kremlin warned Thursday that there was “not much cause for optimism” that the West would satisfy Russia’s demands in the showdown over Ukraine, but said that President Vladimir Putin would take his time to study the written responses that the United States and NATO submitted a day earlier before deciding how to proceed. “All these papers are with the president,” Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. “There will of course be some time needed to analyze them — we won’t rush to any conclusions.” Peskov did not discuss the content of the responses, which the United States has requested be kept confidential. But he said that based on public remarks about them by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, there was little likelihood that the West would offer concessions on Russia’s central demands. “There is not much cause for optimism,” Peskov said, replying to a question over whether Russia would be satisfied with the Western responses. “But I would continue to refrain from making any conceptual evaluations.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sounded a similarly negative note, saying in comments published on his ministry’s website that the U.S. document contained “no positive reaction” to Russia’s main demands. The Russian officials’ comments came against the backdrop of Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine, and hours after a shooting at a Ukrainian missile factory overnight that served as a reminder of the fragile military situation on the ground. There was no immediate evidence that the shooting was related to the building military tensions in the region. As Western fears grew over a possible Russian attack against Ukraine, Moscow published a list of demands last month that would involve NATO withdrawing troops from Eastern Europe and pledging never to allow Ukraine to join. Russia requested a response in writing, which the United States and NATO submitted Wednesday. Lavrov said that while the U.S. response included initiatives that could serve as “the beginning of a serious conversation,” there was no sign of progress on Russia’s priority of rolling back the NATO presence in Eastern Europe. He said that consultations among Russian government officials would be followed by a briefing to Putin, who “will decide on our next steps.” Putin, who has been silent in public on the Ukraine crisis since December, visited a cemetery in St. Petersburg on Thursday to mark the 78th anniversary of the end of the Nazis’ siege of Leningrad, in which Putin’s brother died as a child. State television aired brief footage of Putin, in a black overcoat, placing flowers onto a wreath in the snow. Peskov said the president planned no other public events. For now, officials on all sides say there is still a chance for diplomacy to resolve the crisis. Senior officials from Ukraine and Russia met in person in Paris for eight hours Wednesday in a session mediated by France and Germany. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on Thursday described the talks as a positive development, but emphasized the importance of adhering to the cease-fire in the eastern Ukraine region known as the Donbas, where violence occasionally flares in a long-simmering conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists. “For our country, the first priority at this moment is achieving a stable and unconditional quiet in the Donbas,” he said in a statement. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexei Zaitsev, said another meeting scheduled to take place in Berlin in two weeks could identify “solutions to problems that have been piling up for seven years.” And he reiterated Russian officials’ insistence that their country had no plans to attack Ukraine. “We see it as unacceptable to even think about war between our peoples,” Zaitsev said, according to the Interfax news agency. But analysts say it is very likely Putin’s diplomats do not know what, exactly, their president is planning. The Kremlin is seeking to rewrite Europe’s post-Cold War order to give Russia a sphere of influence in Eastern Europe — something Putin says is critical to Russia’s long-term security. Putin has threatened unspecified “military-technical” measures if the West does not accede to Russia’s demands.

Kremlin says US response to its demands does not offer ‘much cause for optimism’

What are NATO's next steps if Russia invades Ukraine?

Amid the tense situation over Ukraine and talks with the west, Russia on Thursday said that it has kept Indian "partners" in the loop.

In response to a WION question at the weekly presser of the Russian foreign ministry, deputy director of the information and press department Alexey Zaytsev said," we are informing our Indian partners on the relevant security situation in Europe and corresponding negotiations."

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Russia is keen that the West gives it a security guarantee over Ukraine not joining the NATO alliance. A number of rounds of talks have happened between US and Russia in Geneva, including between US Secretary of State Blinken and Russian foreign minister Lavrov. West is concerned over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, something Moscow has been dismissing.

Zaytsev explained that "privilege partnership with New Delhi is one of the key tasks of our foreign policy" and both sides are "developing cooperation" in trade, economics and energy, military-technical, science and technology, space, and other spheres. He highlighted how both countries "support the concept of multipolarity in the world" and have a "close position" on a number of issues.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-are-natos-next-steps-if-russia-invades-ukraine-448121" hreflang="en">What are NATO's next steps if Russia invades Ukraine?</a>

Important to note, Russian Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov had a meeting with Indian Envoy to Russia Pavan Kapoor earlier this month.

During the meet, they "exchanged views and&nbsp;assessments on the events in Geneva, Brussels, and&nbsp;Vienna on security guarantees for Russia" according to a Russian readout of the meet.

Interestingly, &nbsp;Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov had led the talks from the Russian side in Geneva, where the US was represented by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. The Russian foreign ministry reaction comes even as Wendy Sherman made a telephonic call to India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to brief on the situation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russias-security-concerns-should-be-taken-seriously-china-tells-us-on-ukraine-crisis-448018">Also read |&nbsp;Russia's security concerns should be taken seriously: China tells US on Ukraine crisis</a>

The Russian foreign ministry also commented on the former German Navy Chief Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach's comments in Delhi in which he called for good ties with Russia and that Ukraine can never join NATO. The Deputy Director said his statement, "reflects not only the views of the admiral", but also the "views of the political and military leaders of Germany".

The comments by the German Navy chief in Delhi had caused a diplomatic storm in Germany and Ukraine. In Ukraine, the foreign ministry had summoned the German envoy to lodge a protest. Later Schönbach stepped down and handed over his resignation.

Zaytsev pointed out that "such signals are getting to us though our diplomatic representations in Germany" and "Berlin has a healthy understanding of the true character of the political process including Ukraine and justifiability of Russian demands regarding the legal guarantees of the security of our country in the western borders bloc discipline of NATO sometimes silence these voices of reason in Germany."

Amid the tense situation over Ukraine and talks with the west, Russia on Thursday said that it has kept Indian "partners" in the loop. In response to a WION question at the weekly presser of the Russian foreign ministry, deputy director of the information and press department Alexey Zaytsev said," we are informing our Indian partners on the relevant security situation in Europe and corresponding negotiations.

Amid the tense situation over Ukraine and talks with the west, Russia on Thursday said that it has kept Indian "partners" in the loop. In response to a WION question at the weekly presser of the Russian foreign ministry, deputy director of the information and press department Alexey Zaytsev said," we are informing our Indian partners on the relevant security situation in Europe and corresponding negotiations." Russia is keen that the West gives it a security guarantee over Ukraine not joining the NATO alliance. A number of rounds of talks have happened between US and Russia in Geneva, including between US Secretary of State Blinken and Russian foreign minister Lavrov. West is concerned over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, something Moscow has been dismissing. Zaytsev explained that "privilege partnership with New Delhi is one of the key tasks of our foreign policy" and both sides are "developing cooperation" in trade, economics and energy, military-technical, science and technology, space, and other spheres. He highlighted how both countries "support the concept of multipolarity in the world" and have a "close position" on a number of issues. Also see | What are NATO's next steps if Russia invades Ukraine? Important to note, Russian Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov had a meeting with Indian Envoy to Russia Pavan Kapoor earlier this month. During the meet, they "exchanged views and assessments on the events in Geneva, Brussels, and Vienna on security guarantees for Russia" according to a Russian readout of the meet. Interestingly, Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov had led the talks from the Russian side in Geneva, where the US was represented by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. The Russian foreign ministry reaction comes even as Wendy Sherman made a telephonic call to India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla to brief on the situation. Also read | Russia's security concerns should be taken seriously: China tells US on Ukraine crisis The Russian foreign ministry also commented on the former German Navy Chief Vice Admiral Kay-Achim Schönbach's comments in Delhi in which he called for good ties with Russia and that Ukraine can never join NATO. The Deputy Director said his statement, "reflects not only the views of the admiral", but also the "views of the political and military leaders of Germany". The comments by the German Navy chief in Delhi had caused a diplomatic storm in Germany and Ukraine. In Ukraine, the foreign ministry had summoned the German envoy to lodge a protest. Later Schönbach stepped down and handed over his resignation. Zaytsev pointed out that "such signals are getting to us though our diplomatic representations in Germany" and "Berlin has a healthy understanding of the true character of the political process including Ukraine and justifiability of Russian demands regarding the legal guarantees of the security of our country in the western borders bloc discipline of NATO sometimes silence these voices of reason in Germany."

Amid tense situation over Ukraine, Russian foreign ministry says India kept in loop

The United States is considering deploying warships to the Black Sea in coming weeks as Russia continues to amass forces along its border with Ukraine, according to a report published on Thursday.

The deployment would be intended as a direct message to Russia, CNN reported, citing anonymous officials. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-border-crisis-world-war-will-begin-in-a-month-warns-military-analyst-375591">Also read: World War will begin in a month, warns military analyst</a>

According to CNN, the official said that the US Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea, but the deployment of warships now would send a specific message to Moscow that the US is closely watching.

The Defense official also said the Navy is continuing to fly reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea to monitor Russian naval activity and any troops movements in Crimea.

As reported by the news outlet, Washington is required to give 14 days notice of its intention to enter the Black Sea under a 1936 treaty giving Turkey control of the straits to enter the sea.&nbsp;

It is unclear if a notice has yet been sent. On Wednesday, two US B-1 bombers Wednesday conducted missions over the Aegean Sea. Although the US does not see the amassing of Russian forces as posturing for offensive action, the official told CNN that "if something changes we will be ready to respond."&nbsp;

Their current assessment is that the Russians are conducting training and exercises and intelligence has not indicated military orders for further action, the official said but noted that they are well-aware that could change at any time. The Biden administration and the international community have expressed concerns about mounting tensions between Ukraine and Russia.&nbsp;

In recent weeks, President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley and national security adviser Jake Sullivan have all spoken to their Ukrainian counterparts."We are concerned by recent escalating Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine, including the credible reports that have been emanating about Russian troop movements on Ukraine`s borders and occupied Crimea," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said this week as reported by CNN.

"We have asked Russia for an explanation of these provocations, but most importantly what we have signalled directly with our Ukrainian partners is a message of reassurance," he said.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said this week that it was important "for all sides to comply with the Minsk Agreement" and "for the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine to be respected by Russia.

"On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw troops to de-escalate the situation, according to a spokesperson for the German government.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States is considering deploying warships to the Black Sea in coming weeks as Russia continues to amass forces along its border with Ukraine, according to a report published on Thursday.

The United States is considering deploying warships to the Black Sea in coming weeks as Russia continues to amass forces along its border with Ukraine, according to a report published on Thursday. The deployment would be intended as a direct message to Russia, CNN reported, citing anonymous officials. Also read: World War will begin in a month, warns military analyst According to CNN, the official said that the US Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea, but the deployment of warships now would send a specific message to Moscow that the US is closely watching. The Defense official also said the Navy is continuing to fly reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Black Sea to monitor Russian naval activity and any troops movements in Crimea. As reported by the news outlet, Washington is required to give 14 days notice of its intention to enter the Black Sea under a 1936 treaty giving Turkey control of the straits to enter the sea. It is unclear if a notice has yet been sent. On Wednesday, two US B-1 bombers Wednesday conducted missions over the Aegean Sea. Although the US does not see the amassing of Russian forces as posturing for offensive action, the official told CNN that "if something changes we will be ready to respond." Their current assessment is that the Russians are conducting training and exercises and intelligence has not indicated military orders for further action, the official said but noted that they are well-aware that could change at any time. The Biden administration and the international community have expressed concerns about mounting tensions between Ukraine and Russia. In recent weeks, President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley and national security adviser Jake Sullivan have all spoken to their Ukrainian counterparts."We are concerned by recent escalating Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine, including the credible reports that have been emanating about Russian troop movements on Ukraine`s borders and occupied Crimea," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said this week as reported by CNN. "We have asked Russia for an explanation of these provocations, but most importantly what we have signalled directly with our Ukrainian partners is a message of reassurance," he said. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said this week that it was important "for all sides to comply with the Minsk Agreement" and "for the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of Ukraine to be respected by Russia. "On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw troops to de-escalate the situation, according to a spokesperson for the German government. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine border crisis: US weighing sending warships to Black Sea amid tensions

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Russia of "severe costs" if it launches a further attack on Ukraine.

It comes after senior US and Russian officials launched special talks Monday aimed at defusing tensions over a Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe this week.

"I don't think we can expect that these meetings will solve all the issues. What we are hoping for is that we can agree on a way forward, that we can agree on a series of meetings, that we can agree on a process," Stoltenberg told a news conference alongside Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna.

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"We are working hard for a peaceful political path and we are ready to continue to work with Russia to try to find that path towards a peaceful solution."

"We are aiming for an agreement on a way forward, a process, a series of meetings," he said.&nbsp;

"At the same time, we need to be prepared that Russia once again chooses to use armed force, chooses confrontation instead of cooperation," he added.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/slew-of-disputes-between-former-cold-war-adversaries-us-and-russia-443661">Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia</a>

Moscow has sought to wrest a string of concessions from the US&nbsp;and its Western allies, including guarantees that NATO will no longer expand eastward into former Soviet states like Ukraine, along whose border Russia has massed an estimated 100,000 troops in steps that have raised concerns about a possible military intervention there.

The United States and NATO say large parts of the Russian proposals are non-starters and Stefanishyna said Russia's demands for security guarantees were no basis for negotiations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-crisis-russia-says-preliminary-talks-with-us-in-geneva-complex-but-businesslike-443468" hreflang="en">Ukraine crisis: Russia says preliminary talks with US in Geneva 'complex but businesslike'</a>

"Russia demands unconditional surrender, demands to undermine the basic principles of functioning of the democratic countries and the principles of NATO," she said.&nbsp;

"We should all realise that Russia's demands to allies cannot be considered as a negotiating position."&nbsp;

"(The) aggressor is not in a position to put conditions until the Russian tanks are out of Ukrainian border."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and his delegation arrived under Swiss police escort at the US&nbsp;diplomatic mission in Geneva for face-to-face talks with Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, and her team.&nbsp;

The meeting is part of “Strategic Security Dialogue” talks on arms control and other broad issues launched by Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin during a June summit in the Swiss city.

 
(With inputs from agencies)

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Russia of "severe costs" if it launches a further attack on Ukraine. It comes after senior US and Russian officials launched special talks Monday aimed at defusing tensions over a Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe this week.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Russia of "severe costs" if it launches a further attack on Ukraine. It comes after senior US and Russian officials launched special talks Monday aimed at defusing tensions over a Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, part of a flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe this week. "I don't think we can expect that these meetings will solve all the issues. What we are hoping for is that we can agree on a way forward, that we can agree on a series of meetings, that we can agree on a process," Stoltenberg told a news conference alongside Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna. "We are working hard for a peaceful political path and we are ready to continue to work with Russia to try to find that path towards a peaceful solution." "We are aiming for an agreement on a way forward, a process, a series of meetings," he said. "At the same time, we need to be prepared that Russia once again chooses to use armed force, chooses confrontation instead of cooperation," he added. Also see | Slew of disputes between former Cold War adversaries US and Russia Moscow has sought to wrest a string of concessions from the US and its Western allies, including guarantees that NATO will no longer expand eastward into former Soviet states like Ukraine, along whose border Russia has massed an estimated 100,000 troops in steps that have raised concerns about a possible military intervention there. The United States and NATO say large parts of the Russian proposals are non-starters and Stefanishyna said Russia's demands for security guarantees were no basis for negotiations. Also read | Ukraine crisis: Russia says preliminary talks with US in Geneva 'complex but businesslike' "Russia demands unconditional surrender, demands to undermine the basic principles of functioning of the democratic countries and the principles of NATO," she said. "We should all realise that Russia's demands to allies cannot be considered as a negotiating position." "(The) aggressor is not in a position to put conditions until the Russian tanks are out of Ukrainian border." Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and his delegation arrived under Swiss police escort at the US diplomatic mission in Geneva for face-to-face talks with Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, and her team. The meeting is part of “Strategic Security Dialogue” talks on arms control and other broad issues launched by Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin during a June summit in the Swiss city. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia-Ukraine conflict: NATO chief warns Moscow of 'severe costs' if Kiev attacked

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.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-talks-on-ukraine-blinken-warns-russia-of-confrontation-443436">Ahead of talks on Ukraine, Blinken warns Russia of confrontation</a>

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'

The United States and its NATO allies are moving to bulk up their military commitments in the Baltics and Eastern Europe as the standoff with Russia over Ukraine deepens.

Denmark is sending fighter jets to Lithuania and a frigate to the Baltic Sea. France has offered to send troops to Romania. Spain is sending a frigate to the Black Sea. President Joe Biden has put thousands of U.S. troops on “high alert.”

And then there is Germany. In recent days, Germany — Europe’s largest and richest democracy, strategically situated at the crossroads between East and West — has stood out more for what it will not do than for what it is doing.

No European country matters more to European unity and the Western alliance. But as Germany struggles to overcome its post-World War II reluctance to lead on security matters in Europe and set aside its instinct to accommodate rather than confront Russia, Europe’s most pivotal country has waffled in the first crucial test for the new government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Germany’s evident hesitation to take forceful measures has fueled doubts about its reliability as an ally — reversing the dynamic with the United States in recent years — and added to concerns that Moscow could use German wavering as a wedge to divide a European response to any Russian aggression.

Biden held a video call with European leaders Monday night, saying it went “very, very, very” well, and beforehand Scholz reiterated that Russia would suffer “high costs” in case of a military intervention. But Germany’s allies have still been left to wonder what cost it is prepared to bear to confront possible Russian aggression.

“Within the European Union, Germany is crucial to achieve unity,” said Norbert Röttgen, a senior conservative lawmaker and advocate of a more muscular German foreign policy. “Putin’s goal is to split the Europeans, and then split Europe and the U.S. If the impression prevails that Germany is not fully committed to a strong NATO response, he will have succeeded in paralyzing Europe and dividing the alliance.”

As Russia held military drills near the Ukrainian border Tuesday, Scholz met with President Emmanuel Macron of France in Berlin, warning Moscow that “a military aggression calling into question the territorial integrity of Ukraine would have grave consequences.”

But the German government has not only ruled out any arms exports to Ukraine, it is also holding up a shipment of nine communist-era howitzers from Estonia to Ukraine.

Scholz and other senior Social Democrats in his government and party have been vague about whether shuttering the controversial Nord Stream 2 undersea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany would be part of an arsenal of possible sanctions against Russia, insisting it was a “private-sector project” and one “separate” from Ukraine.

Friedrich Merz, the designated new leader of Angela Merkel’s opposition conservative party, meanwhile, has warned against excluding Russian banks from the Swift payment transactions network that handles global financial transfers because it would “harm” Germany’s economic interests.

Germany’s muddled stance has been especially unsettling to Ukraine and its eastern neighbors. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Berlin of effectively “encouraging” Russian aggression. Other were no less scathing.

“Berlin is making a big strategic mistake and putting its reputation at risk,” Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chair of the national security committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, told public broadcaster LRT.

Artis Pabriks, Latvia’s defense minister, said these days German deterrence was “not sending weapons to Ukraine, but a field hospital.”

The strain in the alliance came to a head this past weekend, when the chief of the German navy said President Vladimir Putin of Russia deserved “respect” and that Crimea would “never” be returned to Ukraine. Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schönbach resigned, but the backlash was swift and emotional.

“This patronizing attitude subconsciously also reminds Ukrainians of the horrors of the Nazi occupation, when Ukrainians were treated as subhuman,” said Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany.

Washington has been at pains to publicly stress its trust in Berlin, while privately lobbying Scholz to take a harder line.

Biden sent several emissaries to Berlin. William J. Burns, head of the CIA, presented Scholz with the latest intelligence on Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stopped in Berlin before meeting his Russian counterpart in Geneva last week, said Sunday he had “no doubts” about Germany’s determination to stand up to Russia.

“It is telling that the U.S. has to publicly reaffirm its trust in Germany,” Jana Puglierin of the Berlin-based European Council on Foreign Relations said. “That used to be a given.”

The wrenching debate over where precisely German loyalties lie is not new. Russian-German relations have been shaped by centuries of trade and cultural exchange but also two World Wars. The Cold War added yet another layer of complexity: West Germany became firmly embedded in the Western alliance while East Germany lived under Soviet occupation.

“Why do we see Russia differently from the Americans? History,” said Matthias Platzeck, chair of the Russian-German Forum and a former chair of Scholz’ Social Democrats. “Germany and Russia have been linked for a thousand years. The biggest Russian czarina was Catherine the Great, a German, who incidentally made Crimea part of Russia.”

“We attacked Russia twice, and the second time it was a genocidal war,” he added. “Twenty-seven million Soviets died, 15 million Russians among them.”

That does not mean that Germany has failed to stand up to Russia in recent years. Germany commands a multinational NATO battle unit in Lithuania and helps monitor Baltic airspace for Russian interference. It is planning to send fighter jets to Romania next month to do the same there. (And yes, it is also sending a field hospital to Kyiv, Ukraine, next month.)

In 2014, when Putin invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea, it was Merkel who rallied neighboring countries in East and West to back tough sanctions on Russia.

But the change of German leadership after 16 years with Merkel at the helm has put in place a government that is divided on how hard a line to draw with Russia.

Scholz’s Social Democrats have traditionally favored a policy of working with the Russians. In the 1970s, Chancellor Willy Brandt engineered the policy of rapprochement with Moscow during the Cold War, while the last Social Democratic chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, is not just a close friend of Putin (he celebrated his 70th birthday with him) but has been on the payroll of Russian energy companies since 2005.

The new Green Party foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has been more outspoken on being tougher on Russia. But even she has drawn a line on sending German arms to Ukraine, citing “history.”

The arms-export policy in many ways embodies the modern German paradox of a nation that knows it has to assume more leadership responsibility in the world but is not quite ready to act that way.

“The idea that Germany delivers weapons that could then be used to kill Russians is very difficult to stomach for many Germans,” said Marcel Dirsus, a political analyst and nonresident fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University in Germany.

The government has been even more divided over Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline owned by Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company, that many fear will hand Putin an easy way to exert influence over America’s European allies.

Russia is Europe’s main supplier of natural gas. Once Nord Stream 2 is operational, Gazprom would be able to sell additional gas to European customers without paying transit fees to Ukraine.

Championed by Merkel in 2015, a year after Russia first invaded Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 has long inflamed Washington and European capitals alike.

While the Green Party's Baerbock has not been shy about expressing her hostility toward the project, Merkel and Scholz have defended it on economic and energy security grounds and long ruled out using it as leverage in talks about sanctions.

It was only last week, standing next to the NATO general secretary, that the chancellor shifted his language, saying that “everything” would be on the table in case of a Russian invasion.

“Putin gave NATO a new reason to exist,” Dirsus said. “Who knows, maybe he can teach the Germans once and for all that the world has changed and they need to be prepared to pay to defend peace.”

The United States and its NATO allies are moving to bulk up their military commitments in the Baltics and Eastern Europe as the standoff with Russia over Ukraine deepens.

The United States and its NATO allies are moving to bulk up their military commitments in the Baltics and Eastern Europe as the standoff with Russia over Ukraine deepens. Denmark is sending fighter jets to Lithuania and a frigate to the Baltic Sea. France has offered to send troops to Romania. Spain is sending a frigate to the Black Sea. President Joe Biden has put thousands of U.S. troops on “high alert.” And then there is Germany. In recent days, Germany — Europe’s largest and richest democracy, strategically situated at the crossroads between East and West — has stood out more for what it will not do than for what it is doing. No European country matters more to European unity and the Western alliance. But as Germany struggles to overcome its post-World War II reluctance to lead on security matters in Europe and set aside its instinct to accommodate rather than confront Russia, Europe’s most pivotal country has waffled in the first crucial test for the new government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Germany’s evident hesitation to take forceful measures has fueled doubts about its reliability as an ally — reversing the dynamic with the United States in recent years — and added to concerns that Moscow could use German wavering as a wedge to divide a European response to any Russian aggression. Biden held a video call with European leaders Monday night, saying it went “very, very, very” well, and beforehand Scholz reiterated that Russia would suffer “high costs” in case of a military intervention. But Germany’s allies have still been left to wonder what cost it is prepared to bear to confront possible Russian aggression. “Within the European Union, Germany is crucial to achieve unity,” said Norbert Röttgen, a senior conservative lawmaker and advocate of a more muscular German foreign policy. “Putin’s goal is to split the Europeans, and then split Europe and the U.S. If the impression prevails that Germany is not fully committed to a strong NATO response, he will have succeeded in paralyzing Europe and dividing the alliance.” As Russia held military drills near the Ukrainian border Tuesday, Scholz met with President Emmanuel Macron of France in Berlin, warning Moscow that “a military aggression calling into question the territorial integrity of Ukraine would have grave consequences.” But the German government has not only ruled out any arms exports to Ukraine, it is also holding up a shipment of nine communist-era howitzers from Estonia to Ukraine. Scholz and other senior Social Democrats in his government and party have been vague about whether shuttering the controversial Nord Stream 2 undersea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany would be part of an arsenal of possible sanctions against Russia, insisting it was a “private-sector project” and one “separate” from Ukraine. Friedrich Merz, the designated new leader of Angela Merkel’s opposition conservative party, meanwhile, has warned against excluding Russian banks from the Swift payment transactions network that handles global financial transfers because it would “harm” Germany’s economic interests. Germany’s muddled stance has been especially unsettling to Ukraine and its eastern neighbors. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Berlin of effectively “encouraging” Russian aggression. Other were no less scathing. “Berlin is making a big strategic mistake and putting its reputation at risk,” Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chair of the national security committee of the Lithuanian Parliament, told public broadcaster LRT. Artis Pabriks, Latvia’s defense minister, said these days German deterrence was “not sending weapons to Ukraine, but a field hospital.” The strain in the alliance came to a head this past weekend, when the chief of the German navy said President Vladimir Putin of Russia deserved “respect” and that Crimea would “never” be returned to Ukraine. Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schönbach resigned, but the backlash was swift and emotional. “This patronizing attitude subconsciously also reminds Ukrainians of the horrors of the Nazi occupation, when Ukrainians were treated as subhuman,” said Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany. Washington has been at pains to publicly stress its trust in Berlin, while privately lobbying Scholz to take a harder line. Biden sent several emissaries to Berlin. William J. Burns, head of the CIA, presented Scholz with the latest intelligence on Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stopped in Berlin before meeting his Russian counterpart in Geneva last week, said Sunday he had “no doubts” about Germany’s determination to stand up to Russia. “It is telling that the U.S. has to publicly reaffirm its trust in Germany,” Jana Puglierin of the Berlin-based European Council on Foreign Relations said. “That used to be a given.” The wrenching debate over where precisely German loyalties lie is not new. Russian-German relations have been shaped by centuries of trade and cultural exchange but also two World Wars. The Cold War added yet another layer of complexity: West Germany became firmly embedded in the Western alliance while East Germany lived under Soviet occupation. “Why do we see Russia differently from the Americans? History,” said Matthias Platzeck, chair of the Russian-German Forum and a former chair of Scholz’ Social Democrats. “Germany and Russia have been linked for a thousand years. The biggest Russian czarina was Catherine the Great, a German, who incidentally made Crimea part of Russia.” “We attacked Russia twice, and the second time it was a genocidal war,” he added. “Twenty-seven million Soviets died, 15 million Russians among them.” That does not mean that Germany has failed to stand up to Russia in recent years. Germany commands a multinational NATO battle unit in Lithuania and helps monitor Baltic airspace for Russian interference. It is planning to send fighter jets to Romania next month to do the same there. (And yes, it is also sending a field hospital to Kyiv, Ukraine, next month.) In 2014, when Putin invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea, it was Merkel who rallied neighboring countries in East and West to back tough sanctions on Russia. But the change of German leadership after 16 years with Merkel at the helm has put in place a government that is divided on how hard a line to draw with Russia. Scholz’s Social Democrats have traditionally favored a policy of working with the Russians. In the 1970s, Chancellor Willy Brandt engineered the policy of rapprochement with Moscow during the Cold War, while the last Social Democratic chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, is not just a close friend of Putin (he celebrated his 70th birthday with him) but has been on the payroll of Russian energy companies since 2005. The new Green Party foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has been more outspoken on being tougher on Russia. But even she has drawn a line on sending German arms to Ukraine, citing “history.” The arms-export policy in many ways embodies the modern German paradox of a nation that knows it has to assume more leadership responsibility in the world but is not quite ready to act that way. “The idea that Germany delivers weapons that could then be used to kill Russians is very difficult to stomach for many Germans,” said Marcel Dirsus, a political analyst and nonresident fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University in Germany. The government has been even more divided over Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline owned by Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy company, that many fear will hand Putin an easy way to exert influence over America’s European allies. Russia is Europe’s main supplier of natural gas. Once Nord Stream 2 is operational, Gazprom would be able to sell additional gas to European customers without paying transit fees to Ukraine. Championed by Merkel in 2015, a year after Russia first invaded Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 has long inflamed Washington and European capitals alike. While the Green Party's Baerbock has not been shy about expressing her hostility toward the project, Merkel and Scholz have defended it on economic and energy security grounds and long ruled out using it as leverage in talks about sanctions. It was only last week, standing next to the NATO general secretary, that the chancellor shifted his language, saying that “everything” would be on the table in case of a Russian invasion. “Putin gave NATO a new reason to exist,” Dirsus said. “Who knows, maybe he can teach the Germans once and for all that the world has changed and they need to be prepared to pay to defend peace.”

Where is Germany in the Ukraine standoff? Its allies wonder.

Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, it has been reported that more than 10,000 Russian troops have been returning to their permanent bases.&nbsp;

Interfax news agency stated&nbsp;on Saturday (December 25), citing the Russian military that the troops are returning after month-long drills near the Ukraine border.&nbsp;

The reported withdrawal of troops comes amid speculations by the West that Moscow has been plotting to invade Ukraine.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-says-soviet-santa-is-real-force-behind-his-rapid-rise-439935">Vladimir Putin says Soviet Santa is 'real force' behind his rapid rise</a>

"A stage of combat coordination of divisions, combat crews, squads at motorised units...has been completed," Interfax news quoted the army as saying.

"More than 10,000 military servicemen... will march to their permanent deployment from the territory of the combined arms' area of drills," it added.

It has been understood that drills were held in several regions near Ukraine, including in Crimea, as well as in the southern Russian regions of Rostov and Kuban.

Heavy deployment of troops by Russia to the north, east and south of Ukraine had fuelled fears in Kyiv and Western capitals that Moscow was planning an attack.&nbsp;

ALSO READ&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-blocks-website-of-protest-monitoring-group-for-allegedly-promoting-terrorism-and-extremism-439910">Russia blocks website of protest monitoring group for allegedly promoting 'terrorism and extremism'</a>

Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly declined the reports as it says that it can deploy its troops on its territory as it sees fit.&nbsp;

If reports are to be believed, an estimated number of Russian troops recently moved closer to Ukraine vary from 60,000 to 90,000.&nbsp;

Although, one US intelligence document indicated that the number could be ramped up as high as 175,000.&nbsp;

WATCH | French warship visits Ukrainian port amid escalating tensions with Russia

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Recently, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss concerns about Russia's military build-up on the borders of Ukraine.

"They discussed NATO's dual-track approach to Russia, noting the alliance remains ready for meaningful dialogue with Russia, while standing united to defend and protect allies," the US State Department said.

Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, it has been reported that more than 10,000 Russian troops have been returning to their permanent bases. Interfax news agency stated on Saturday (December 25), citing the Russian military that the troops are returning after month-long drills near the Ukraine border.

Amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, it has been reported that more than 10,000 Russian troops have been returning to their permanent bases. Interfax news agency stated on Saturday (December 25), citing the Russian military that the troops are returning after month-long drills near the Ukraine border. The reported withdrawal of troops comes amid speculations by the West that Moscow has been plotting to invade Ukraine. ALSO READ | Vladimir Putin says Soviet Santa is 'real force' behind his rapid rise "A stage of combat coordination of divisions, combat crews, squads at motorised units...has been completed," Interfax news quoted the army as saying. "More than 10,000 military servicemen... will march to their permanent deployment from the territory of the combined arms' area of drills," it added. It has been understood that drills were held in several regions near Ukraine, including in Crimea, as well as in the southern Russian regions of Rostov and Kuban. Heavy deployment of troops by Russia to the north, east and south of Ukraine had fuelled fears in Kyiv and Western capitals that Moscow was planning an attack. ALSO READ | Russia blocks website of protest monitoring group for allegedly promoting 'terrorism and extremism' Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly declined the reports as it says that it can deploy its troops on its territory as it sees fit. If reports are to be believed, an estimated number of Russian troops recently moved closer to Ukraine vary from 60,000 to 90,000. Although, one US intelligence document indicated that the number could be ramped up as high as 175,000. WATCH | French warship visits Ukrainian port amid escalating tensions with Russia × Recently, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss concerns about Russia's military build-up on the borders of Ukraine. "They discussed NATO's dual-track approach to Russia, noting the alliance remains ready for meaningful dialogue with Russia, while standing united to defend and protect allies," the US State Department said.

Thousands of Russian troops returning to bases after drills near Ukraine: Report

Russia has accused Washington and NATO of escalating tensions through "information hysteria" over deployment of troops in Ukraine.

"As for specific actions, we see statements by the North Atlantic Alliance about reinforcement, pulling forces and resources to the eastern flank. All this leads to the fact that tensions are growing," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"This is not happening because of what we, Russia, are doing. This is all happening because of what NATO and the U.S. are doing and due to the information they are spreading."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-orders-kin-of-embassy-staff-in-ukraine-to-leave-the-country-447117/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He said the West was showing "hysteria" and putting out information "laced with lies".

It comes after the US-led military organisation said that it is beefing up its “deterrence” presence in the Baltic Sea area.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO will “take all necessary measures to protect and defend all allies.”&nbsp;

He said: “We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defence.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-mulling-to-deploy-thousands-of-troops-to-eastern-europe-baltics-amid-russian-invasion-fears-report-447037" hreflang="en">Biden mulling to deploy thousands of troops to Eastern Europe, Baltics amid Russian invasion fears: Report</a>

Peskov said Monday that Ukraine was preparing an offensive in the east of the country where Kyiv troops have been fighting pro-Russia separatists since 2014.

"The Ukrainian authorities are concentrating a huge amount of forces and means on the border with the self-proclaimed republics," he said.

"The nature of this concentration speaks of preparations for an offensive," he said, adding the risk of such an operation now "is very high, higher than before."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday warned Russia it risked "a new Chechnya" if it invaded Ukraine, that would cost lives and trigger tough economic sanctions.

"Invading Ukraine, from a Russian perspective, is going to be a painful, violent and bloody business," he said. "It's very important that people in Russia understand this could be a new Chechnya".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-will-happen-if-russian-troops-invade-ukraine-431684">Also see |&nbsp;What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine?</a>

“We are showing unprecedented unity about the situation in Ukraine, with the strong coordination with the U.S.,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is chairing their meeting, told reporters in Brussels.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it considered the move to send home US&nbsp;diplomats' families as "premature and a manifestation of excessive caution."

"In fact, there have been no cardinal changes in the security situation recently: the threat of new waves of Russian aggression has remained constant since 2014 and the buildup of Russian troops near the state border began in April last year," it said.

Russia denies planning to invade Ukraine but has used its build-up of an estimated 100,000 troops near the border to force the West to negotiate over a range of demands to redraw the security map of Europe.

It wants NATO to scrap a promise to let Ukraine join one day and to pull back troops and weapons from former Communist countries in eastern Europe that joined it after the Cold War.

Washington says those demands are non-starters but it is ready to discuss other ideas on arms control, missile deployments, and confidence-building measures.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia has accused Washington and NATO of escalating tensions through "information hysteria" over deployment of troops in Ukraine. "As for specific actions, we see statements by the North Atlantic Alliance about reinforcement, pulling forces and resources to the eastern flank.

Russia has accused Washington and NATO of escalating tensions through "information hysteria" over deployment of troops in Ukraine. "As for specific actions, we see statements by the North Atlantic Alliance about reinforcement, pulling forces and resources to the eastern flank. All this leads to the fact that tensions are growing," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "This is not happening because of what we, Russia, are doing. This is all happening because of what NATO and the U.S. are doing and due to the information they are spreading." He said the West was showing "hysteria" and putting out information "laced with lies". It comes after the US-led military organisation said that it is beefing up its “deterrence” presence in the Baltic Sea area. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO will “take all necessary measures to protect and defend all allies.” He said: “We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defence.” Also read | Biden mulling to deploy thousands of troops to Eastern Europe, Baltics amid Russian invasion fears: Report Peskov said Monday that Ukraine was preparing an offensive in the east of the country where Kyiv troops have been fighting pro-Russia separatists since 2014. "The Ukrainian authorities are concentrating a huge amount of forces and means on the border with the self-proclaimed republics," he said. "The nature of this concentration speaks of preparations for an offensive," he said, adding the risk of such an operation now "is very high, higher than before." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday warned Russia it risked "a new Chechnya" if it invaded Ukraine, that would cost lives and trigger tough economic sanctions. "Invading Ukraine, from a Russian perspective, is going to be a painful, violent and bloody business," he said. "It's very important that people in Russia understand this could be a new Chechnya". Also see | What will happen if Russian troops invade Ukraine? “We are showing unprecedented unity about the situation in Ukraine, with the strong coordination with the U.S.,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is chairing their meeting, told reporters in Brussels. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it considered the move to send home US diplomats' families as "premature and a manifestation of excessive caution." "In fact, there have been no cardinal changes in the security situation recently: the threat of new waves of Russian aggression has remained constant since 2014 and the buildup of Russian troops near the state border began in April last year," it said. Russia denies planning to invade Ukraine but has used its build-up of an estimated 100,000 troops near the border to force the West to negotiate over a range of demands to redraw the security map of Europe. It wants NATO to scrap a promise to let Ukraine join one day and to pull back troops and weapons from former Communist countries in eastern Europe that joined it after the Cold War. Washington says those demands are non-starters but it is ready to discuss other ideas on arms control, missile deployments, and confidence-building measures. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia accuses NATO of escalating Ukraine tensions through 'hysteria' and ramping up deployments

In the early years of Vladimir Putin’s tenure as Russia’s leader, the country’s military was a hollowed-out but nuclear-armed shell.

It struggled to keep submarines afloat in the Arctic and an outgunned insurgency at bay in Chechnya. Senior officers sometimes lived in moldy, rat-infested tenements. And instead of socks, poorly trained soldiers often wrapped their feet in swaths of cloth, the way their Soviet and Tsarist predecessors had.

Two decades later, it is a far different fighting force that has massed near the border with Ukraine. Under Putin’s leadership, it has been overhauled into a modern sophisticated army, able to deploy quickly and with lethal effect in conventional conflicts, military analysts said. It features precision-guided weaponry, a newly streamlined command structure and well-fed and professional soldiers. And they still have the nuclear weapons.

The modernized military has emerged as a key tool of Putin’s foreign policy: capturing Crimea, intervening in Syria, keeping the peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and, just this month, propping up a Russia-friendly leader in Kazakhstan. Now it is in the middle of its most ambitious — and most ominous — operation yet: using threats and potentially, many fear, force, to bring Ukraine back into Moscow’s sphere of influence.

“The mobility of the military, its preparedness and its equipment are what allow Russia to pressure Ukraine and to pressure the West,” said Pavel Luzin, a Russian security analyst. “Nuclear weapons are not enough.”

Without firing a shot, Putin has forced the Biden administration to shelve other foreign policy priorities and contend with Kremlin grievances the White House has long dismissed — in particular reversing Ukraine’s Westward lean in the post-Soviet period.

It is Putin’s highest-stakes use of the military to muscle Russia back into the global relevance it lost with the ending of the Cold War. Putin laid out that doctrine in 2018, when he used his annual state-of-the-nation speech to unveil new nuclear weapons that could fly 20 times the speed of sound.

“No one listened to us,” Putin said in his address, which included a video simulation showing a Russian missile heading toward the United States. “Listen to us now.”

Today, it is the overhaul of the conventional forces that has provided leverage in the Ukraine crisis.

The T-72B3 tanks amassed on Ukraine’s border have a new thermal optics system for nighttime fighting as well as guided missiles with twice the range of other tanks, according to Robert Lee, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Ph.D. candidate at King’s College in London, who is a Russian military expert. Kalibr cruise missiles deployed on ships and submarines in the Black Sea and Iskander-M rockets arrayed along the border can hit targets just about anywhere inside Ukraine, Lee said.

In the past decade, the Russian air force has acquired more than 1,000 new aircraft, according to a 2020 article by Alexei Krivoruchko, a deputy defense minister. This includes the country’s most advanced fighters, the SU-35S; a squadron of these has been deployed to Belarus before joint military exercises next month.

The new capabilities were evident in Russia’s intervention in Syria in 2015. They were not only effective, but caught some in the U.S. military off guard.

“I’m embarrassed to admit, I was surprised a few years ago when Kalibr missiles came flying out of the Caspian Sea, hitting targets in Syria,” said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe. “That was a surprise to me, not only the capability, but I didn’t even know they were there.”

Kremlin thinking has also evolved over the size of the armed forces. The military relies less on a dwindling number of conscripts and more on a slimmed-down, well-trained core of roughly 400,000 contract soldiers.

These soldiers receive better treatment. Visiting the Defense Ministry in December, Putin boasted that the average lieutenant now made just over the equivalent of $1,000 per month, better than the average salary in other sectors. The federal government, he added, was spending about $1.5 billion on subsidizing private housing for service members.

And all Russian soldiers are now required to be deployed with thick, military issued socks.

What is new is not just Russia’s upgraded equipment, but the evolving theory of how the Kremlin uses it. The military has honed an approach that Dmitry Adamsky, a scholar of international security at Reichman University in Israel, calls “cross-domain coercion” — blending the real or threatened use of force with diplomacy, cyberattacks and propaganda to achieve political aims.

That blended strategy is playing out in the current crisis around Ukraine. Russia is pushing for immediate wide-ranging concessions from the West. Russian troop movements into allied Belarus put a potential invasion force within 100 miles of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Russian state media is warning that Ukrainian forces are the ones preparing acts of aggression.

And on Jan. 14, hackers brought down dozens of Ukrainian government websites and posted a message on one stating, “Be afraid and expect the worst.”

“You see some cyber, you see diplomacy, you see military exercises,” Adamsky said. “They are all related by design.”

Not all the forces arrayed along the Ukrainian border are Russia’s most advanced. The ones amassed in the north have older weaponry and are mostly there to intimidate and stretch Ukrainian resources, said Oleksiy Arestovych, a former Ukrainian military intelligence officer who is now a political and military analyst.

The more well-equipped and modernized units, he said, have moved into the area close to two breakaway provinces in Ukraine’s east, where Russia instigated a separatist war in 2014 that continues today.

Russia’s military modernization is also, increasingly, meant to send a message to the United States, projecting power beyond Eastern Europe, frustrating and sometimes surprising U.S. officials.

It took Russia’s military transport planes only hours, for instance, to start ferrying about 2,000 Russian peacekeeping troops, along with heavy armor, to the Southern Caucasus after Putin brokered an end to the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In Syria, where Russia intervened in 2015 using devastating airstrikes and limited ground troops to protect President Bashar Assad, Russia’s advancements showed it could effectively deploy precision-guided weaponry, long an edge that Western armed forces had held over Russia.

Russia used the war in Syria, experts say, as a laboratory to refine tactics and weaponry, and to gain combat experience for much of its force. More responsibility was delegated to lower-level officers, a degree of autonomy that contrasts with the civilian government structure in the Putin era. Defense Minister Sergei K. Shoigu said last month that all ground troop commanders, 92% of air force pilots and 62% of the navy had combat experience.

“They showed to themselves and the whole world they are able to wage large-scale operations with precision weapons, and long-range weapons, and intelligence capability to support it,” Adamsky, the expert based in Israel, said.

For all its strides in recent years, Russia’s military retains a critical weakness of its Soviet predecessor: the civilian side of the country’s economy, nearly devoid of high-tech manufacturing and corporate investment in research and development. Army expenditures amount to a far higher percentage of the gross domestic product than in most European countries, starving other sectors.

When Ukraine’s military shot down Russian reconnaissance drones, for example, they discovered electronics and motors bought from hobby drone companies in Western Europe, according to a report published in November by Conflict Armament Research, a company based in Britain that specializes in tracing weaponry.

Russia possesses few new weapons systems fully created from the ground up, analysts say. Much of its modernization consists of refurbishments of older equipment.

But individual weapons systems are less important than the military’s innovative use of knowledge gained in each of the engagements of Putin’s tenure, said Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, who was NATO commander when war broke out in Ukraine in 2014.

“The compliment that we have to pay to Russia is that they are a learning and adaptive force,” Breedlove said. “Every time we see them in conflict, they get a little better and a little better.”

Putin was only a few months into his first presidential term when he faced a military catastrophe. On Aug. 12, 2000, a torpedo exploded inside the nuclear submarine Kursk, sending it to the Barents Sea floor with 118 sailors. The Russian navy’s failed rescue mission, leading to the deaths of all aboard and an uncharacteristic mea culpa from Putin, underscored the military’s ineptitude.

The sinking came to define Putin’s first term, along with a vicious and bloody war in Chechnya where the Russian military struggled for years to quash an Islamic insurgency.

A major turning point came in 2008 when a long-simmering conflict over disputed territories in the Republic of Georgia exploded into war.

Russian forces quickly overwhelmed their much smaller Georgian neighbors, but the war uncovered deep deficiencies in the Russian military. Ground troops were not in radio contact with the air force, leading to several serious friendly fire attacks. Communications were so bad that some officers had to use their personal cellphones. Tanks and armored personnel carriers broke down frequently.

The failures prompted a massive shake-up of the Russian armed forces. The Soviet military’s prowess at land warfare was revived, with improvements such as revamped artillery technology, according to Mathieu Boulègue, a research fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House in London.

Just over a decade later, Russia’s tools of electronic warfare, which can be used to intercept or jam enemy communications and knock drones off course and out of the sky, are believed far superior to the U.S. military’s, analysts said.

“We’re playing catch-up now,” Hodges said. “For the last 20 years, we were focused on iPhones or cellphones and terrorist networks, while they continued to develop substantial, powerful jamming and intercept capabilities.”

There have been some setbacks for Moscow, including unsettling weapons failures. In 2019, a prototype of a nuclear-propelled cruise missile — hailed by Putin as the centerpiece of a new arms race with the United States — blew up during a test, killing at least seven people and spewing radiation for miles.

But as the Kremlin’s rhetoric increasingly cast Russia as locked in an existential conflict with the West, little expense was spared. The investment in the military was accompanied by a militarization of Russian society under Putin, entrenching the concept of a motherland surrounded by enemies and the possibility of a coming war.

All those developments, analysts say, make it hard for the West to stop Putin from attacking Ukraine, if he is determined.

“There’s very little we can do to deny Russia’s ability to wage further warfare against Ukraine,” Boulègue said. “We can’t deter a worldview.”

In the early years of Vladimir Putin’s tenure as Russia’s leader, the country’s military was a hollowed-out but nuclear-armed shell. It struggled to keep submarines afloat in the Arctic and an outgunned insurgency at bay in Chechnya.

In the early years of Vladimir Putin’s tenure as Russia’s leader, the country’s military was a hollowed-out but nuclear-armed shell. It struggled to keep submarines afloat in the Arctic and an outgunned insurgency at bay in Chechnya. Senior officers sometimes lived in moldy, rat-infested tenements. And instead of socks, poorly trained soldiers often wrapped their feet in swaths of cloth, the way their Soviet and Tsarist predecessors had. Two decades later, it is a far different fighting force that has massed near the border with Ukraine. Under Putin’s leadership, it has been overhauled into a modern sophisticated army, able to deploy quickly and with lethal effect in conventional conflicts, military analysts said. It features precision-guided weaponry, a newly streamlined command structure and well-fed and professional soldiers. And they still have the nuclear weapons. The modernized military has emerged as a key tool of Putin’s foreign policy: capturing Crimea, intervening in Syria, keeping the peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and, just this month, propping up a Russia-friendly leader in Kazakhstan. Now it is in the middle of its most ambitious — and most ominous — operation yet: using threats and potentially, many fear, force, to bring Ukraine back into Moscow’s sphere of influence. “The mobility of the military, its preparedness and its equipment are what allow Russia to pressure Ukraine and to pressure the West,” said Pavel Luzin, a Russian security analyst. “Nuclear weapons are not enough.” Without firing a shot, Putin has forced the Biden administration to shelve other foreign policy priorities and contend with Kremlin grievances the White House has long dismissed — in particular reversing Ukraine’s Westward lean in the post-Soviet period. It is Putin’s highest-stakes use of the military to muscle Russia back into the global relevance it lost with the ending of the Cold War. Putin laid out that doctrine in 2018, when he used his annual state-of-the-nation speech to unveil new nuclear weapons that could fly 20 times the speed of sound. “No one listened to us,” Putin said in his address, which included a video simulation showing a Russian missile heading toward the United States. “Listen to us now.” Today, it is the overhaul of the conventional forces that has provided leverage in the Ukraine crisis. The T-72B3 tanks amassed on Ukraine’s border have a new thermal optics system for nighttime fighting as well as guided missiles with twice the range of other tanks, according to Robert Lee, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Ph.D. candidate at King’s College in London, who is a Russian military expert. Kalibr cruise missiles deployed on ships and submarines in the Black Sea and Iskander-M rockets arrayed along the border can hit targets just about anywhere inside Ukraine, Lee said. In the past decade, the Russian air force has acquired more than 1,000 new aircraft, according to a 2020 article by Alexei Krivoruchko, a deputy defense minister. This includes the country’s most advanced fighters, the SU-35S; a squadron of these has been deployed to Belarus before joint military exercises next month. The new capabilities were evident in Russia’s intervention in Syria in 2015. They were not only effective, but caught some in the U.S. military off guard. “I’m embarrassed to admit, I was surprised a few years ago when Kalibr missiles came flying out of the Caspian Sea, hitting targets in Syria,” said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe. “That was a surprise to me, not only the capability, but I didn’t even know they were there.” Kremlin thinking has also evolved over the size of the armed forces. The military relies less on a dwindling number of conscripts and more on a slimmed-down, well-trained core of roughly 400,000 contract soldiers. These soldiers receive better treatment. Visiting the Defense Ministry in December, Putin boasted that the average lieutenant now made just over the equivalent of $1,000 per month, better than the average salary in other sectors. The federal government, he added, was spending about $1.5 billion on subsidizing private housing for service members. And all Russian soldiers are now required to be deployed with thick, military issued socks. What is new is not just Russia’s upgraded equipment, but the evolving theory of how the Kremlin uses it. The military has honed an approach that Dmitry Adamsky, a scholar of international security at Reichman University in Israel, calls “cross-domain coercion” — blending the real or threatened use of force with diplomacy, cyberattacks and propaganda to achieve political aims. That blended strategy is playing out in the current crisis around Ukraine. Russia is pushing for immediate wide-ranging concessions from the West. Russian troop movements into allied Belarus put a potential invasion force within 100 miles of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Russian state media is warning that Ukrainian forces are the ones preparing acts of aggression. And on Jan. 14, hackers brought down dozens of Ukrainian government websites and posted a message on one stating, “Be afraid and expect the worst.” “You see some cyber, you see diplomacy, you see military exercises,” Adamsky said. “They are all related by design.” Not all the forces arrayed along the Ukrainian border are Russia’s most advanced. The ones amassed in the north have older weaponry and are mostly there to intimidate and stretch Ukrainian resources, said Oleksiy Arestovych, a former Ukrainian military intelligence officer who is now a political and military analyst. The more well-equipped and modernized units, he said, have moved into the area close to two breakaway provinces in Ukraine’s east, where Russia instigated a separatist war in 2014 that continues today. Russia’s military modernization is also, increasingly, meant to send a message to the United States, projecting power beyond Eastern Europe, frustrating and sometimes surprising U.S. officials. It took Russia’s military transport planes only hours, for instance, to start ferrying about 2,000 Russian peacekeeping troops, along with heavy armor, to the Southern Caucasus after Putin brokered an end to the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In Syria, where Russia intervened in 2015 using devastating airstrikes and limited ground troops to protect President Bashar Assad, Russia’s advancements showed it could effectively deploy precision-guided weaponry, long an edge that Western armed forces had held over Russia. Russia used the war in Syria, experts say, as a laboratory to refine tactics and weaponry, and to gain combat experience for much of its force. More responsibility was delegated to lower-level officers, a degree of autonomy that contrasts with the civilian government structure in the Putin era. Defense Minister Sergei K. Shoigu said last month that all ground troop commanders, 92% of air force pilots and 62% of the navy had combat experience. “They showed to themselves and the whole world they are able to wage large-scale operations with precision weapons, and long-range weapons, and intelligence capability to support it,” Adamsky, the expert based in Israel, said. For all its strides in recent years, Russia’s military retains a critical weakness of its Soviet predecessor: the civilian side of the country’s economy, nearly devoid of high-tech manufacturing and corporate investment in research and development. Army expenditures amount to a far higher percentage of the gross domestic product than in most European countries, starving other sectors. When Ukraine’s military shot down Russian reconnaissance drones, for example, they discovered electronics and motors bought from hobby drone companies in Western Europe, according to a report published in November by Conflict Armament Research, a company based in Britain that specializes in tracing weaponry. Russia possesses few new weapons systems fully created from the ground up, analysts say. Much of its modernization consists of refurbishments of older equipment. But individual weapons systems are less important than the military’s innovative use of knowledge gained in each of the engagements of Putin’s tenure, said Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, who was NATO commander when war broke out in Ukraine in 2014. “The compliment that we have to pay to Russia is that they are a learning and adaptive force,” Breedlove said. “Every time we see them in conflict, they get a little better and a little better.” Putin was only a few months into his first presidential term when he faced a military catastrophe. On Aug. 12, 2000, a torpedo exploded inside the nuclear submarine Kursk, sending it to the Barents Sea floor with 118 sailors. The Russian navy’s failed rescue mission, leading to the deaths of all aboard and an uncharacteristic mea culpa from Putin, underscored the military’s ineptitude. The sinking came to define Putin’s first term, along with a vicious and bloody war in Chechnya where the Russian military struggled for years to quash an Islamic insurgency. A major turning point came in 2008 when a long-simmering conflict over disputed territories in the Republic of Georgia exploded into war. Russian forces quickly overwhelmed their much smaller Georgian neighbors, but the war uncovered deep deficiencies in the Russian military. Ground troops were not in radio contact with the air force, leading to several serious friendly fire attacks. Communications were so bad that some officers had to use their personal cellphones. Tanks and armored personnel carriers broke down frequently. The failures prompted a massive shake-up of the Russian armed forces. The Soviet military’s prowess at land warfare was revived, with improvements such as revamped artillery technology, according to Mathieu Boulègue, a research fellow in the Russia and Eurasia program at Chatham House in London. Just over a decade later, Russia’s tools of electronic warfare, which can be used to intercept or jam enemy communications and knock drones off course and out of the sky, are believed far superior to the U.S. military’s, analysts said. “We’re playing catch-up now,” Hodges said. “For the last 20 years, we were focused on iPhones or cellphones and terrorist networks, while they continued to develop substantial, powerful jamming and intercept capabilities.” There have been some setbacks for Moscow, including unsettling weapons failures. In 2019, a prototype of a nuclear-propelled cruise missile — hailed by Putin as the centerpiece of a new arms race with the United States — blew up during a test, killing at least seven people and spewing radiation for miles. But as the Kremlin’s rhetoric increasingly cast Russia as locked in an existential conflict with the West, little expense was spared. The investment in the military was accompanied by a militarization of Russian society under Putin, entrenching the concept of a motherland surrounded by enemies and the possibility of a coming war. All those developments, analysts say, make it hard for the West to stop Putin from attacking Ukraine, if he is determined. “There’s very little we can do to deny Russia’s ability to wage further warfare against Ukraine,” Boulègue said. “We can’t deter a worldview.”

Putin overhauled Russia's hollowed-out forces, modernizing the military

Russia-Ukraine crisis: Why is Moscow drawing 'red lines' over Kyiv?

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia was planning a "lightning war that could take out Kyiv" while adding that it "would be a disastrous step".

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia was planning a "lightning war that could take out Kyiv" while adding that it "would be a disastrous step". Also, read a story on the Navy F-35C fighter accident on an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea. The pilot ejected safely but seven were injured. Click on headlines to read the full report: Seven injured in US fighter jet 'landing mishap' in South China Sea, Navy pilot ejects safely Seven US sailors were injured in a Navy F-35C fighter accident on an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea on Monday (January 24), the Navy informed. As released in a statement, the Navy stated that an F-35C Lightning II, which is assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, had a "landing mishap" on the deck. Russia planning 'lightning war that could take out Kyiv': UK PM Boris Johnson Amid tensions at the border with Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia was planning a "lightning war that could take out Kyiv” while adding that it " would be a disastrous step”. Watch: Burkina Faso soldiers announce military takeover on state TV Burkina Faso's soldiers stated on state television Monday that they had seized control and dissolved the country's government and parliament. They also stated that the country's borders had been blocked and pledged a "return to constitutional order" in a "reasonable time." Clashes in Indonesia's West Papua province leave 18 dead, say cops In clashes between two groups, at least 18 people have been killed in the town of Sorong in Indonesia's West Papua province, police said on Tuesday. Watch | Gravitas: Taliban begins talks with Western Officials in Oslo ×

Morning news brief: US F-35 incident in South China Sea, Russia-Ukraine crisis and more

How the West can use economic sanctions to target Russia over Ukraine conflict

Here are some of the top stories to start your day:&nbsp;With the threat of war on mind, the United States on Sunday has ordered the departure of family members of staff at its Ukrainian embassy.&nbsp;In Covid related news, several top experts have opined that the virus is heading towards the 'endgame' phase as Omicron cases are plunging in several regions.

Click on headlines to read the full report:

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/threat-of-war-forces-us-to-order-departure-of-ukrainian-embassy-staffs-kin-447011" hreflang="en">Threat of war forces US to order departure of Ukrainian embassy staff’s kin</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/01/24/235613-us-embassy-1.jpg" />The actions of the US government indicate that the continuing threat of military action from Russia seems to be imminent and it does not want a repeat of a situation like Afghanistan evacuation last year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-calls-uks-claim-as-evidence-that-nato-escalating-tensions-around-ukraine-446893">Russia rejects UK's claim of trying to replace Ukrainian President Zelenskiy</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/01/23/235505-untitled-design-3.jpg" />Russia on Sunday rejected the claim made by the UK government saying it did not provide corroboration to back it up.&nbsp;Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had said Russia is looking to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fall-in-omicron-cases-early-signs-of-covid-heading-towards-endgame-say-experts-447015">Early signs of Covid virus heading towards ‘endgame’, say experts</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/01/04/231365-omicron.JPG" />The COVID-19 is starting to shift from a pandemic to a more manageable endemic, several top experts have opined, adding that a rapid fall in Omicron cases indicated that the deadly virus is in the&nbsp; ‘endgame’.

Watch |&nbsp;Has India weathered the third wave of COVID-19 infections?

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Here are some of the top stories to start your day: With the threat of war on mind, the United States on Sunday has ordered the departure of family members of staff at its Ukrainian embassy.

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: With the threat of war on mind, the United States on Sunday has ordered the departure of family members of staff at its Ukrainian embassy. In Covid related news, several top experts have opined that the virus is heading towards the 'endgame' phase as Omicron cases are plunging in several regions. Click on headlines to read the full report: Threat of war forces US to order departure of Ukrainian embassy staff’s kin The actions of the US government indicate that the continuing threat of military action from Russia seems to be imminent and it does not want a repeat of a situation like Afghanistan evacuation last year. Russia rejects UK's claim of trying to replace Ukrainian President Zelenskiy Russia on Sunday rejected the claim made by the UK government saying it did not provide corroboration to back it up. Britain's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had said Russia is looking to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration. Early signs of Covid virus heading towards ‘endgame’, say experts The COVID-19 is starting to shift from a pandemic to a more manageable endemic, several top experts have opined, adding that a rapid fall in Omicron cases indicated that the deadly virus is in the ‘endgame’. Watch | Has India weathered the third wave of COVID-19 infections? Watch | Is Europe eyeing an end to COVID-19 pandemic?

Morning news brief: US orders embassy staff to leave Ukraine, WHO says Covid entering 'endgame' and more

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: UK government has claimed that Russia looks to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration.

Here are some of the top stories to start your day: UK government has claimed that Russia looks to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration. Also, read a report on the German Navy chief stepping down after his comments in New Delhi. Click on headlines to read the full report: Russia looks to replace Ukraine govt with pro-Moscow administration, claims UK The Ukraine-Russia tensions continue to rise unabatedly. Now, the UK government has claimed that Russia looks to replace the government of Ukraine with a pro-Moscow administration. German Navy chief steps down after his New Delhi comments on Putin, Ukraine German Navy chief VAdm Kay-Achim Schönbach stepped down on Saturday after his comments in New Delhi which called for rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine can't become a NATO member. Former Trump campaign adviser Boris Epshteyn was 'part of the process' of 'alternate electors' plot Boris Epshteyn, who was a strategic adviser for former United States President Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign, has acknowledged having his role in efforts to legitimise the alleged pro-Trump electors. Chinese province's officials fudged death toll of flood disaster last year, says central govt In yet another example of lack of transparency in China, Chinese province officials fudged the death toll in a devastating flood disaster last year, said the country’s central government. WATCH | Gravitas Plus - Saudi Arabia Vs Iran: The Rivalry explained ×

Morning news brief: UK's claims on Russia-Ukraine crisis, German Navy chief steps down and more

Ukrainian soldiers, Kalashnikov rifles slung over their shoulders, patrolled through a silent, snowy forest, passing homes so long abandoned that vines twirl through the broken windows.

The fields are fallow, the cities deserted and the entire Chernobyl zone in northern Ukraine is still so radioactive it would seem the last place on Earth anybody would want to conquer.

But while most of the attention around a potential invasion by Russia is focused on troop buildups and daily hostilities in the east, the shortest route from Russia to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, is from the north. And it passes through the isolated zone around the Chernobyl power plant, where the meltdown of a reactor in 1986 caused the worst nuclear disaster in history.

In one of the incongruities of war, that makes Chernobyl an area that Ukraine thinks it needs to defend, forcing its military to deploy security forces into the eerie and still radioactive forest, where they carry both weapons and equipment to detect radiation exposure.

“It doesn’t matter if it is contaminated or nobody lives here,” said Lt. Col. Yuri Shakhraichuk of the Ukrainian border guard service. “It is our territory, our country, and we must defend it.”

The Ukrainian forces in the area, known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, would not be sufficient to rebuff an invasion, if one came; they are there mostly to detect warning signs. “We collect information about the situation along the border” and convey it to Ukraine’s intelligence agencies, Shakhraichuk said.

The concept of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone when Soviet authorities established it three decades ago was to limit, through isolation, the lethality of the accident at the nuclear plant. Radioactive particles left in the soil or trapped under the containment structure of the destroyed reactor while they slowly decay would pose little risk to soldiers, as long as those soldiers did not linger in highly irradiated areas. But the land must be abandoned, in some places for hundreds of years.

Two months ago, the government deployed additional forces into the area, because of increased tensions with Russia and Belarus, a Kremlin ally whose border is 5 miles from the stricken reactor and where Russia has recently moved troops.

“How can this be?” said Ivan Kovalchuk, a Ukrainian firefighter who helped extinguish the fire at the plant in the first days after the accident, risking his life alongside Russians and people from around the former Soviet Union. He said he was outraged that Russia could potentially menace the zone militarily.

“We liquidated the accident together,” Kovalchuk said. “For them to do this to us now just makes me feel sorry for people” in Ukraine, he said.

The Chernobyl nuclear power plant’s reactor No. 4 exploded and burned during a test on April 26, 1986, releasing about 400 times more radiation than the bombing at Hiroshima. Thirty people died in the immediate aftermath of the accident, most from radiation exposure; studies of longer-term health effects have been mostly inconclusive but suggest that there could eventually be thousands of deaths from cancer.

While the zone is uninhabitable, it does draw tourists for short visits, generating some income, and is seen in Ukraine as a teachable moment on recent history.

At the time of the accident, Ukraine was a Soviet republic, and initially, the Soviet authorities tried to cover up the disaster. To avoid raising suspicions, they went ahead a few days later with May Day parades in Ukraine, marching schoolchildren through swirling radioactive dust.

This callous attitude helped stir anti-Soviet sentiment throughout Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, the republics most affected, and the accident is now seen as one cause of the collapse of the Soviet Union five years later.

The Chernobyl zone covers about 1,000 square miles straddling the shortest direct route from the Belarusian border to Kyiv. While it is not necessarily the most likely invasion route from the north, because it is swampy and densely forested, Ukraine has not ruled it out.

Before last fall, the 700 miles of border between Ukraine and Belarus were almost unguarded, particularly in the irradiated areas. About 90 miles of the border separates the Ukrainian zone from a similarly isolated and irradiated area in Belarus, called the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve.

That changed in November amid a migrant crisis in Belarus and a troop buildup in Russia.

The two developments were ominous in combination. Moscow began massing troops in a way that suggested plans for an incursion into Ukraine via Belarus. Kyiv also feared that Belarus might create a provocation such as herding migrants toward the Ukrainian border — as Belarus did with Poland — and provide the spark for war.

Ukraine responded by deploying 7,500 additional guards to the Belarusian border. Shakhraichuk said he could not disclose how many went specifically to Chernobyl. But fears about an incursion from Belarus have only grown this week as Russia directs troops and equipment there ahead of planned joint exercises with Belarus in February.

Only a dozen or so soldiers were visible in the border area on a recent visit, but officials said others were patrolling elsewhere.

The zone is a sorrowful place to work. In the days after the accident, about 91,000 people were evacuated with just hours’ notice.

Forests grew around their former homes. Peering through the windows reveals clothes, shoes, dishes and other remnants of ordinary lives lying about, covered in dust and lichen.

In the largest city, Pripyat, now a ghost town, a propaganda sign still extols the virtues of civilian nuclear energy. “Let the atom be a worker not a soldier,” it reads.

The risk of a war further spreading radiation seems minimal. But one object in the zone is particularly vulnerable: a new, $1.7 billion stainless steel arch over the destroyed reactor, paid for mostly by the United States and about 30 other countries. It was completed in 2016 to prevent the spread of highly radioactive dust.

The town of Chernobyl is still partially occupied by workers who live there during rotations. They maintain the containment structure over the damaged reactor, roads and other infrastructure.

“It’s bad, it’s scary,” Elena Bofsunovska, a clerk at a grocery store, said of the possibility of military action near the destroyed reactor.

“We don’t know what will kill us first, the virus, radiation or war,” Oleksei Prishepa, a worker who was standing at the store’s counter, said with a shrug.

Prishepa said he would prefer that Ukraine set up the defensive lines further south, giving the irradiated zone over to whomever might want it. “It’s a wasteland,” he said. “No crop will ever grow here.”

Before the Russian buildup, the main security concern in Chernobyl was illegal mushroom picking and collection of scrap metal, activities that risk spreading radiation outside the zone. Police also regularly detain thrill seekers entering illegally for sightseeing.

Most of the time, soldiers on patrol face little risk from radiation. But longer-lived particles remain, creating invisible, lethally dangerous hot spots in the forest. Some emit levels of radiation thousands of times higher than normal. The soldiers have marked routes to avoid these places, which were long ago mapped by scientists.

Still, while patrolling in the zone, the soldiers must carry devices on a lanyard around their necks that continuously monitor exposure; under the protocols for patrolling in the zone, if a soldier stumbles into a highly irradiated patch, he is taken off duty to avoid further exposure.

So far, none of the border guards deployed into the zone in November have been exposed to high doses, according to Shakhraichuk.

“There are very dangerous places to avoid,” said Maj. Aleksei Vegera, who serves with the Chernobyl police force. Members of that force, accustomed to working in the area, accompany border guards on patrols.

“We do try to be careful,” he said. “But, what can I say, I’m used to it.”

Ukrainian soldiers, Kalashnikov rifles slung over their shoulders, patrolled through a silent, snowy forest, passing homes so long abandoned that vines twirl through the broken windows.

Ukrainian soldiers, Kalashnikov rifles slung over their shoulders, patrolled through a silent, snowy forest, passing homes so long abandoned that vines twirl through the broken windows. The fields are fallow, the cities deserted and the entire Chernobyl zone in northern Ukraine is still so radioactive it would seem the last place on Earth anybody would want to conquer. But while most of the attention around a potential invasion by Russia is focused on troop buildups and daily hostilities in the east, the shortest route from Russia to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, is from the north. And it passes through the isolated zone around the Chernobyl power plant, where the meltdown of a reactor in 1986 caused the worst nuclear disaster in history. In one of the incongruities of war, that makes Chernobyl an area that Ukraine thinks it needs to defend, forcing its military to deploy security forces into the eerie and still radioactive forest, where they carry both weapons and equipment to detect radiation exposure. “It doesn’t matter if it is contaminated or nobody lives here,” said Lt. Col. Yuri Shakhraichuk of the Ukrainian border guard service. “It is our territory, our country, and we must defend it.” The Ukrainian forces in the area, known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, would not be sufficient to rebuff an invasion, if one came; they are there mostly to detect warning signs. “We collect information about the situation along the border” and convey it to Ukraine’s intelligence agencies, Shakhraichuk said. The concept of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone when Soviet authorities established it three decades ago was to limit, through isolation, the lethality of the accident at the nuclear plant. Radioactive particles left in the soil or trapped under the containment structure of the destroyed reactor while they slowly decay would pose little risk to soldiers, as long as those soldiers did not linger in highly irradiated areas. But the land must be abandoned, in some places for hundreds of years. Two months ago, the government deployed additional forces into the area, because of increased tensions with Russia and Belarus, a Kremlin ally whose border is 5 miles from the stricken reactor and where Russia has recently moved troops. “How can this be?” said Ivan Kovalchuk, a Ukrainian firefighter who helped extinguish the fire at the plant in the first days after the accident, risking his life alongside Russians and people from around the former Soviet Union. He said he was outraged that Russia could potentially menace the zone militarily. “We liquidated the accident together,” Kovalchuk said. “For them to do this to us now just makes me feel sorry for people” in Ukraine, he said. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant’s reactor No. 4 exploded and burned during a test on April 26, 1986, releasing about 400 times more radiation than the bombing at Hiroshima. Thirty people died in the immediate aftermath of the accident, most from radiation exposure; studies of longer-term health effects have been mostly inconclusive but suggest that there could eventually be thousands of deaths from cancer. While the zone is uninhabitable, it does draw tourists for short visits, generating some income, and is seen in Ukraine as a teachable moment on recent history. At the time of the accident, Ukraine was a Soviet republic, and initially, the Soviet authorities tried to cover up the disaster. To avoid raising suspicions, they went ahead a few days later with May Day parades in Ukraine, marching schoolchildren through swirling radioactive dust. This callous attitude helped stir anti-Soviet sentiment throughout Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, the republics most affected, and the accident is now seen as one cause of the collapse of the Soviet Union five years later. The Chernobyl zone covers about 1,000 square miles straddling the shortest direct route from the Belarusian border to Kyiv. While it is not necessarily the most likely invasion route from the north, because it is swampy and densely forested, Ukraine has not ruled it out. Before last fall, the 700 miles of border between Ukraine and Belarus were almost unguarded, particularly in the irradiated areas. About 90 miles of the border separates the Ukrainian zone from a similarly isolated and irradiated area in Belarus, called the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve. That changed in November amid a migrant crisis in Belarus and a troop buildup in Russia. The two developments were ominous in combination. Moscow began massing troops in a way that suggested plans for an incursion into Ukraine via Belarus. Kyiv also feared that Belarus might create a provocation such as herding migrants toward the Ukrainian border — as Belarus did with Poland — and provide the spark for war. Ukraine responded by deploying 7,500 additional guards to the Belarusian border. Shakhraichuk said he could not disclose how many went specifically to Chernobyl. But fears about an incursion from Belarus have only grown this week as Russia directs troops and equipment there ahead of planned joint exercises with Belarus in February. Only a dozen or so soldiers were visible in the border area on a recent visit, but officials said others were patrolling elsewhere. The zone is a sorrowful place to work. In the days after the accident, about 91,000 people were evacuated with just hours’ notice. Forests grew around their former homes. Peering through the windows reveals clothes, shoes, dishes and other remnants of ordinary lives lying about, covered in dust and lichen. In the largest city, Pripyat, now a ghost town, a propaganda sign still extols the virtues of civilian nuclear energy. “Let the atom be a worker not a soldier,” it reads. The risk of a war further spreading radiation seems minimal. But one object in the zone is particularly vulnerable: a new, $1.7 billion stainless steel arch over the destroyed reactor, paid for mostly by the United States and about 30 other countries. It was completed in 2016 to prevent the spread of highly radioactive dust. The town of Chernobyl is still partially occupied by workers who live there during rotations. They maintain the containment structure over the damaged reactor, roads and other infrastructure. “It’s bad, it’s scary,” Elena Bofsunovska, a clerk at a grocery store, said of the possibility of military action near the destroyed reactor. “We don’t know what will kill us first, the virus, radiation or war,” Oleksei Prishepa, a worker who was standing at the store’s counter, said with a shrug. Prishepa said he would prefer that Ukraine set up the defensive lines further south, giving the irradiated zone over to whomever might want it. “It’s a wasteland,” he said. “No crop will ever grow here.” Before the Russian buildup, the main security concern in Chernobyl was illegal mushroom picking and collection of scrap metal, activities that risk spreading radiation outside the zone. Police also regularly detain thrill seekers entering illegally for sightseeing. Most of the time, soldiers on patrol face little risk from radiation. But longer-lived particles remain, creating invisible, lethally dangerous hot spots in the forest. Some emit levels of radiation thousands of times higher than normal. The soldiers have marked routes to avoid these places, which were long ago mapped by scientists. Still, while patrolling in the zone, the soldiers must carry devices on a lanyard around their necks that continuously monitor exposure; under the protocols for patrolling in the zone, if a soldier stumbles into a highly irradiated patch, he is taken off duty to avoid further exposure. So far, none of the border guards deployed into the zone in November have been exposed to high doses, according to Shakhraichuk. “There are very dangerous places to avoid,” said Maj. Aleksei Vegera, who serves with the Chernobyl police force. Members of that force, accustomed to working in the area, accompany border guards on patrols. “We do try to be careful,” he said. “But, what can I say, I’m used to it.”

Defend Chernobyl during an invasion? Why bother, some Ukrainians ask.

Russian officials on Thursday signalled that they might abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve the security crisis surrounding Ukraine, bringing a whirlwind week of European diplomacy to an ominous end and deflating hopes that negotiators could forge a path toward easing tensions in Eastern Europe.

One senior Russian diplomat said that talks with the West were approaching a “dead end,” while another said the Kremlin would wait until it received written responses to its demands from Washington and from NATO next week before deciding how to proceed.

It was clear that Russia’s next move would be up to President Vladimir Putin, who, his spokesperson said Thursday, was being briefed regularly this week on negotiations with the West.

“The United States and its allies are actually saying no to key elements of these texts,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said, referring to the draft agreements with NATO and Washington that Russia published last month. “This is what we call a dead-end or a different approach.”

In Washington, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters that after a week of diplomacy, the United States was ready to talk further, especially about missile deployments and military exercises in Europe, but was also preparing to respond “to a further Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

“We have been very clear with Russia on the costs and consequences of further military action or destabilization,” Sullivan said. “So we’re ready either way.”

Sullivan said the Russian responses to the meetings in Geneva, Brussels and Vienna had been contradictory, noting that some officials have been “hopeful” and others sounded “deeply pessimistic.” But he added, “I’m not going to put myself in the head of the Russians” and noted that American intelligence agencies had still not determined that the Russians had definitively decided on a military course of action.

The US&nbsp;representative to Thursday’s meeting, Michael Carpenter, also depicted the two sides as engaged in a standoff with no clear resolution.

“We must never stand for the flouting or erosion of our bedrock principles,” Carpenter said. “That means no tolerance for overt or tacit spheres of influence, no restrictions on the sovereign right of nations to choose their own alliances, no privileging one state’s security requirements over those of another.”

Russia is demanding that NATO drastically scale back its presence near Russia’s borders in Eastern Europe, including stopping all military cooperation with Ukraine and providing legally binding guarantees that the country will never join the alliance. Ryabkov said dialogue with the United States was continuing but also warned that Putin was receiving options from the military about what to do “in the case of a deterioration of the situation.”

Those options, analysts and Western officials believe, are likely to involve new Russian military action against Ukraine. Joining this week’s discussions for the first time Thursday, Ukraine said it had identified 106,000 Russian troops and 1,500 tanks near its border and accused Moscow of pointing a “gun at our common European security.”

Thursday’s gathering, the last of three negotiating sessions this week between Russia and the West, took place in Vienna at a meeting of the 57-country Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a group that includes Russia and Ukraine as well as the United States.

“It seems that the risk of war in the OSCE area is now greater than ever before in the last 30 years,” Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau of Poland, which took over the rotating chairmanship of the organization this year, said in opening the session.

The West insists all countries must have the freedom to choose their alliances, while the Kremlin says that NATO cannot expand eastward and that Western military cooperation with post-Soviet countries such as Ukraine presents an existential threat to Russia’s security.

While Russian officials said this week that they were impressed with the seriousness with which the Biden administration -&nbsp;which the Kremlin sees as its main counterpart -&nbsp;engaged in the talks, there was no sign Thursday that the impasse had been broken.

And while U.S. officials say they are prepared to discuss some of Russia’s concerns -&nbsp;such as negotiating reciprocal limits on where and how military exercises are conducted, or perhaps reviving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the United States pulled out of two years ago -&nbsp;they reject any discussion of Russia’s central demand to roll back NATO expansion.

And it is that larger goal that seems to be driving Russia in the negotiations, as it seeks to keep Ukraine out of NATO and NATO forces from placing troops or weapons in former Soviet states that have since joined the Western alliance. The United States has insisted it will not abandon core principles, including the right of nations to pick their allies, which is at the heart of NATO’s “open door” policy.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also adopted a pessimistic tone.

“The hard reality right now is that we were promised a written reaction,” Lavrov said in an interview aired Thursday, according to the Interfax news agency. “We will wait for it. And then we will determine our next steps.”

Carpenter, asked about Lavrov’s comments, said he did not know whether such a written response was coming.

Ukraine, rejecting Russia’s denials that it had no plans to invade, said Russia’s massing of troops near the Ukrainian border needed to be reversed.

“The Russian leadership proves once again Moscow’s voluntarism to point the gun at our common European security at any moment they want,” said Ukraine’s representative, Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk.

Thursday’s talks were at a lower diplomatic level than the negotiations in Brussels and Geneva earlier this week, with no one above the ambassador rank in attendance from the key countries involved. Their host, the OSCE, is expected to serve as a key venue for more negotiations if the Kremlin decides to pursue diplomacy.

“We are not indifferent to security objections voiced by participating states,” Rau said. “I believe that the OSCE is the right platform to discuss every aspect of comprehensive security.”

It was the latest sign that Western countries are scrambling to engage with Russia, which has warned of a “military-technical” response if concerns over its security -&nbsp;such as overt Western military cooperation with Ukraine — are not addressed.

While Russia denies it has plans to invade Ukraine, researchers have identified some new signs of Russian troops moving toward the Ukrainian border in recent days.

Russia’s representative at the talks Thursday in Vienna, Alexander Lukashevich, underscored that Moscow was not ruling out the possibility of further negotiations. Military analysts have noted that&nbsp;were Russia to invade Ukraine, the wintertime frozen ground would be advantageous to its heavy armour.

“If we do not hear a constructive response on our proposals in a reasonable time frame,” Lukashevich said in remarks released by his office, “we will be forced to draw the corresponding conclusions and take all necessary measures to assure the strategic balance and remove unacceptable threats to our national security.”

Russian officials on Thursday signalled that they might abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve the security crisis surrounding Ukraine, bringing a whirlwind week of European diplomacy to an ominous end and deflating hopes that negotiators could forge a path toward easing tensions in Eastern Europe.

Russian officials on Thursday signalled that they might abandon diplomatic efforts to resolve the security crisis surrounding Ukraine, bringing a whirlwind week of European diplomacy to an ominous end and deflating hopes that negotiators could forge a path toward easing tensions in Eastern Europe. One senior Russian diplomat said that talks with the West were approaching a “dead end,” while another said the Kremlin would wait until it received written responses to its demands from Washington and from NATO next week before deciding how to proceed. It was clear that Russia’s next move would be up to President Vladimir Putin, who, his spokesperson said Thursday, was being briefed regularly this week on negotiations with the West. “The United States and its allies are actually saying no to key elements of these texts,” Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said, referring to the draft agreements with NATO and Washington that Russia published last month. “This is what we call a dead-end or a different approach.” In Washington, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters that after a week of diplomacy, the United States was ready to talk further, especially about missile deployments and military exercises in Europe, but was also preparing to respond “to a further Russian invasion of Ukraine.” “We have been very clear with Russia on the costs and consequences of further military action or destabilization,” Sullivan said. “So we’re ready either way.” Sullivan said the Russian responses to the meetings in Geneva, Brussels and Vienna had been contradictory, noting that some officials have been “hopeful” and others sounded “deeply pessimistic.” But he added, “I’m not going to put myself in the head of the Russians” and noted that American intelligence agencies had still not determined that the Russians had definitively decided on a military course of action. The US representative to Thursday’s meeting, Michael Carpenter, also depicted the two sides as engaged in a standoff with no clear resolution. “We must never stand for the flouting or erosion of our bedrock principles,” Carpenter said. “That means no tolerance for overt or tacit spheres of influence, no restrictions on the sovereign right of nations to choose their own alliances, no privileging one state’s security requirements over those of another.” Russia is demanding that NATO drastically scale back its presence near Russia’s borders in Eastern Europe, including stopping all military cooperation with Ukraine and providing legally binding guarantees that the country will never join the alliance. Ryabkov said dialogue with the United States was continuing but also warned that Putin was receiving options from the military about what to do “in the case of a deterioration of the situation.” Those options, analysts and Western officials believe, are likely to involve new Russian military action against Ukraine. Joining this week’s discussions for the first time Thursday, Ukraine said it had identified 106,000 Russian troops and 1,500 tanks near its border and accused Moscow of pointing a “gun at our common European security.” Thursday’s gathering, the last of three negotiating sessions this week between Russia and the West, took place in Vienna at a meeting of the 57-country Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a group that includes Russia and Ukraine as well as the United States. “It seems that the risk of war in the OSCE area is now greater than ever before in the last 30 years,” Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau of Poland, which took over the rotating chairmanship of the organization this year, said in opening the session. The West insists all countries must have the freedom to choose their alliances, while the Kremlin says that NATO cannot expand eastward and that Western military cooperation with post-Soviet countries such as Ukraine presents an existential threat to Russia’s security. While Russian officials said this week that they were impressed with the seriousness with which the Biden administration - which the Kremlin sees as its main counterpart - engaged in the talks, there was no sign Thursday that the impasse had been broken. And while U.S. officials say they are prepared to discuss some of Russia’s concerns - such as negotiating reciprocal limits on where and how military exercises are conducted, or perhaps reviving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the United States pulled out of two years ago - they reject any discussion of Russia’s central demand to roll back NATO expansion. And it is that larger goal that seems to be driving Russia in the negotiations, as it seeks to keep Ukraine out of NATO and NATO forces from placing troops or weapons in former Soviet states that have since joined the Western alliance. The United States has insisted it will not abandon core principles, including the right of nations to pick their allies, which is at the heart of NATO’s “open door” policy. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also adopted a pessimistic tone. “The hard reality right now is that we were promised a written reaction,” Lavrov said in an interview aired Thursday, according to the Interfax news agency. “We will wait for it. And then we will determine our next steps.” Carpenter, asked about Lavrov’s comments, said he did not know whether such a written response was coming. Ukraine, rejecting Russia’s denials that it had no plans to invade, said Russia’s massing of troops near the Ukrainian border needed to be reversed. “The Russian leadership proves once again Moscow’s voluntarism to point the gun at our common European security at any moment they want,” said Ukraine’s representative, Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk. Thursday’s talks were at a lower diplomatic level than the negotiations in Brussels and Geneva earlier this week, with no one above the ambassador rank in attendance from the key countries involved. Their host, the OSCE, is expected to serve as a key venue for more negotiations if the Kremlin decides to pursue diplomacy. “We are not indifferent to security objections voiced by participating states,” Rau said. “I believe that the OSCE is the right platform to discuss every aspect of comprehensive security.” It was the latest sign that Western countries are scrambling to engage with Russia, which has warned of a “military-technical” response if concerns over its security - such as overt Western military cooperation with Ukraine — are not addressed. While Russia denies it has plans to invade Ukraine, researchers have identified some new signs of Russian troops moving toward the Ukrainian border in recent days. Russia’s representative at the talks Thursday in Vienna, Alexander Lukashevich, underscored that Moscow was not ruling out the possibility of further negotiations. Military analysts have noted that were Russia to invade Ukraine, the wintertime frozen ground would be advantageous to its heavy armour. “If we do not hear a constructive response on our proposals in a reasonable time frame,” Lukashevich said in remarks released by his office, “we will be forced to draw the corresponding conclusions and take all necessary measures to assure the strategic balance and remove unacceptable threats to our national security.”

Russia, at an impasse with the West, warns it is ready to abandon diplomacy

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