Responding to Biden remarks on "minor incursion," a senior admin official says that if Russian military forces tried to take ANY Ukrainian territory by force and violated Ukrainian sovereignty that would constitute an "invasion" and warrant severe response
1 year agoRussia: The container ship Rise Shine rots off Nakhodka with petroleum products on board. According to experts, the ship from China still has about 130 T of fuel oil
If Putin invades Ukraine it is the "most consequential thing that has happened in the world, in terms of war and peace, since WW2," Biden says. He hopes Putin realizes that he is not in a very good position to dominate the war
"That decision is totally, solely, completely Putin's decision," says Biden. "I suspect it matters which side of he bed he gets up on as to exactly what he's gonna do." Adds that he's being told by top diplomats that there's a Question as to whether their Russian counterparts even know
"Big nations cannot bluff": @potus is pressed to explain his example of a "minor incursion" versus an invasion of Ukraine; he also acknowledges US could deal with cyber attacks by using cyber; but also acknowledges divisions within @NATO on how to punish Russia
Biden says his Secretary of State and national security adviser have given him the impression that not even Putin's advisers know what he will do re: Ukraine. "There's a question of whether [Putin's] people know what he is going to do," Biden says
Biden talking weather factor now. He says if Putin wants to invade from the north, from Belarus, "he'll have to wait until the ground is frozen"
The U.S. could respond to Russian cyberattacks in Ukraine with a cyber response, Biden warns during White House press conference
Biden says of Russia: "They have FSB people in Ukraine now to try to undermind solidarity in Ukraine"
1 year agoBiden says "It's one thing if it's a minor incursion. Bt if they actually do what they're capable of doing. It is going to be a disaster for Russia, if they invade Ukraine." Promises "heavy" and "real" penalties.
President Biden says he doesn't think Putin wants a "full-blown war," but that he thinks Putin will attempt to "test the West," the US and NATO, as significantly as he can. "I think he'll pay a serious and dear price.and I think he'll regret having done it"
1 year ago@POTUS on whether Russian President Putin will order Russia troops into Ukraine: " My guess is he will move in," he says." He has to do something"
Biden says Putin wants to guarantees. 1st, that Ukraine never be part of NATO. 2nd, that NATO won't station strategic weapons in Ukraine. Biden says they can work out something on the 2nd & the "likelihood that Ukraine is going to join NATO in the near term is not very likely"
"My guess is he will move in, he has to do something," President Biden says on Putin & a possible invasion into Ukraine. Biden also says he is not sure Putin is certain what he is going to do
US will increase troop presence in Poland and Romania if Russia moves into Ukraine, says @POTUS
"Military they have overwhelming superiority as it relates to Ukraine," says @POTUS of Russia
Biden: The cost of Russia entering Ukraine will be very high, and we will make Moscow pay a heavy price for that
1 year ago"Their banks will not be able to deal in dollars," says @POTUS of Russia if there's a re-invasion of Ukraine
The White House told the U.S. chip industry to be prepared for new restrictions on exports to Russia if Moscow attacks Ukraine, sources said, including potentially blocking the country's access to global electronic supplies
Cost of physical loss of life for Russia if it further invades Ukraine "will be heavy," predicts @POTUS
"We're going to fortify our NATO allies," adds @POTUS
"He's never seen sanctions like the ones I've promised" if Russia further advances into Ukraine, says @POTUS of Putin. "Russia will be held accountable if it invades"
1 year agoPotential position of Russian landing craft in the English channel based on French military vessel's track
Finland does not plan to join NATO in the near future but is ready to stand with its European allies and United States by imposing tough sanctions on Russia if it attacks Ukraine, Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday
1 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Klintsy
1 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Tula
1 year agoA group of military equipment, both Belarusian and Russian, was spotted in Mozyr and the surrounding area. It's reported that today a convoy of Russian equipment was moving along the R31 highway from Mozyr towards the village Penki (about 40 km from the border with Ukraine)
1 year agoSecretary Antony Blinken:Good to meet with @DmytroKuleba while in Kyiv to stress unwavering U.S. support for Ukraine. We remain committed to diplomacy, but are ready, in coordination with Allies and partners, to impose severe costs for further Russian aggression against Ukraine
Russia's "plan is very specific and very aggressive in its timetable,"@RepMcCaul tells @jimsciutto, citing classified information
Blinken said he would not provide Lavrov in Geneva with written responses to Russian security proposals
.@secblinken at presser says Russia has not made one central demand but we'll have a better idea after Friday's meeting with Russia's Lavrov in Geneva. "We haven't made any proposals to Russia in the context of these conversations"
Ukrainian FM Kuleba in joint press conference with Blinken : "The biggest achievement today for Russia would be to sow panic and distrust in Ukraine from the inside”
Putin during his meeting with the Iranian President: Our intervention in Syria helped contain the "terrorist organizations"
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Putin: we could create synergy against West, U.S., we are resisting Americans for 40 years. We would not stop our developments because of the sanctions or threats
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett proposed a Russia-Ukraine de-escalation summit in Jerusalem to Russian President Putin in their meeting last October, Ukrainian and Israeli officials tell @axios
The Armenian Foreign Minister said that Yerevan, through the mediation of Moscow, submitted proposals to Baku on the de-escalation of the border situation.
1 year agoMoscow Exchange is already recovering by 5%
German chancellor Scholz says borders must not be moved by force; this is a key principle of our European peace order
Moscow does not need a moratorium on NATO expansion, but clear guarantees that Georgia and Ukraine will not join the alliance - Ryabkov
In Russia, a Moscow court fined @Twitter for $132,000 for not complyig with removal requests mentioning imprisoned opposition politician @Navalny and his FBK foundation. Total fines levied against Twitter, @Facebook and @Google have now reached $1.85mn
British Armed Forces Minister: We warn of a war in which thousands will die if Russia invades Ukraine
Russia will do everything possible to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
Ryabkov: there are no risks of a full-scale war in Europe. Russia is not going to attack Ukraine
All units of the Russian CSTO troops returned from Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation, - the Russian Defense Ministry reported
Russia says it calls on the west to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine, it threatens Russia's security
Russia will not make any changes to the deployment of military forces on its territory under pressure from outside, - Ryabkov said
The Russian Federation has not yet received written response from the United States and NATO on security proposals, Moscow is not ready to wait for them indefinitely, - Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Ryabkov
During the talks with the Russian Federation, Washington declared the inadmissibility of the demand for non-expansion of NATO, - Ryabkov said
The Russian Federation would prefer to reach an agreement on security guarantees primarily with the United States, the involvement of other countries is counterproductive, - Russian Deputy FM Ryabkov said
The situation in the field of European security due to the fault of the United States and NATO has become critical - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
President Erdoğan is expected to visit Ukraine in a couple of weeks and hold talks with Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy to contribute to de-escalation of tensions with Russia
In StPetersburg, Russia, several hundred workers of Baltiysky Zavod wharf held a protest against mandatory vaccination QR-codes; some 1,000 workers currently have no QR-codes and thus are effectively prevented from entering the premises
Blinken, meeting Zelensky, urges Ukraine to "stick together" in the face of Russia as controversial ex-president Poroshenko abruptly returns. "One of Moscow's longstanding goals has been to try to sow divisions between and within our countries
The Kremlin: We hope to receive a written response from Washington and NATO on the proposed security guarantees in the coming days
PM Rutte just now in Parliament: "Essential that sanctions be adopted not only when Russia undertakes a heavy action against Ukraine but also in case of a less far-going military operation. In that case Russia will also pay a very high price"
Blinken says Russia challenging international system by seeking to dictate to Ukraine by force. "If we allow those principles to be violated with impunity, then we will open a very large Pandora's box. The entire world is watching what is happening here"
Blinken, in Ukraine, calls on Putin to choose 'peaceful path'
1 year agoIran president Raisi has arrived in Moscow for a two-day visit. He will meet Russia president Putin today on Wednesday
Blinken, in Kyiv, says Russia amassed more troops at Ukraine borders. He adds that Putin seeks the ability to strike Ukraine
About 500 educational facilities received bomb threats across Central Russia
Head of the CSTO: operation on the territory of Kazakhstan is completed
1 year ago.@SecBlinken has arrived in Kyiv
1 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Tatarstan
1 year agoIn a phone call @POTUS and @niinisto "discussed their shared concern over Russia's unprovoked military build-up on Ukraine's borders," according to the @WhiteHouse
"1 of the things that we were willing to talk to the Russian s abt was changing the scale & scope of our exercises if & only if there was going to be reciprocity on the Russian side" per @PentagonPresSec "We see no signs of de-escalation" re Ukraine
1 year ago.@SecBlinken heading to Kyiv for talks on Ukraine crisis, followed by meeting with Lavrov in Geneva
FM of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba: Years of Russian aggression have taught us one thing: escalations are always accompanied by heating up the information space. The aim is to weaken us from within. Don't buy scaremongering. Army & diplomacy are protecting Ukraine. Ukrainians win with a warm heart and a cool head
Russia-Ukraine "We're going to continue to look for ways to help Ukraine defend itself" but no new announcements on assistance, per @PentagonPresSec "We're going to continue to watch the situation on the ground" he says, adding no changes to Florida Nat'l Guard presence
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly condemned Russia massing troops near Ukraine's borders on Tuesday and said Ottawa would take a decision at the appropriate time on supplying military hardware to Ukraine
1 year agoA large convoy of military equipment with Russian license plates was moving along the M5 highway from Minsk towards Asipovichy, Mogilev region, today (18.01)
1 year ago"No option is off the table" if Russia "further invades Ukraine," @PressSec tells @WhiteHouse reporters. "We're now at a stage where Russia at any time could launch an attack on Ukraine
US Department of State: Today, @SecBlinken and Spanish Foreign Minister @jmalbares met to reaffirm the strong U.S.-Spain partnership, encourage efforts to stop further Russian aggression, and expand U.S-Spain collaboration in Latin America
Senior State Dept Official: "Russia has two choices: diplomacy and de-escalation, or escalation and massive consequencesThe United States remains committed to diplomacy and believes it is the best and most responsible way forward
.@statedept official acknowledges recent movement of Russian troops into Belarus affects timeline for potential incursion: "And let's be clear: this is extremely dangerous. We are now at a stage where Russia could at any point launch an attack on Ukraine."
Secretary of State Blinken will meet in Geneva on Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov following Blinken's travel to Kyiv & Berlin. The Lavrov meeting resulted from their call this morning and "suggests that perhaps diplomacy is not dead," a Senior State Dept official said
While in Kyiv, Secretary Blinken "will also meet with the employees and families of the U.S. Embassy to communicate the Department's efforts to plan for contingencies, should Russia choose to escalate further
1 year agoAllegedly Russian troops near Rechitsa
Putin had a conversation with the leader of Nicaragua, Ortega, reaffirmed support for the efforts of the Nicaraguan government to ensure national sovereignty, and stressed the importance of continuing close coordination in the international arena
1 year agoSec Gen Stoltenberg says NATO has information confirming US claims of a "significant Russian presence of intelligence officers or operatives inside Ukraine." He says it's "absolutely possible" they're planning "incidents, accidents, false flag operations
1 year agoNATO SecGen Stoltenberg says in the next few days the alliance will deliver to Russia written responses to Moscow's proposals for changes to the way the alliance operates
1 year agoBlinken called Russia's Lavrov hours before leaving to Ukraine and Germany. Discussed "deeply troubling Russian military build-up, reiterated unshakable US commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty & territorial integrity."
Secretary of State Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov had phone call
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg to @BILD "We must not forget that some Russian troops are already on Ukrainian territory. We are following Russian movements very, very closely"
1 year agoLoading of military echelon in Khabarovsk Krai of Russia
NATO's Stoltenberg says we encourage Russia to reverse its decision to cut ties with NATO
1 year agoRussian markets seriously falling. Sberbank, Yandex, Alrosa, Aeroflot among top losers
NATO's Stoltenberg says we are prepared to resume exchange briefings on exercises and nuclear issues with Russia
NATO's Stoltenberg says NATO allies are ready to engage with Russia and concerns Moscow may have
NATO's Stoltenberg says any further escalation in the Ukraine crisis will come at a high price for Russia
German Chancellor Scholz says we expect Russia to de-escalate the situation on the Ukrainian border, for example by reducing troop levels there
NATO Secretary General @jensstoltenberg's press conference with Chancellor @OlafScholz of Germany
Mi-8 helicopter crash landed near Varandey airport in Nenets Autonomous Okrug, 11 were on board, no casualties
1 year agoRussian troops were seen in Mozyr (Gomel region, Belarus)
The Russian Federation will take countermeasures against German journalists in Russia if necessary, but would not like to, - Lavrov (re RT DE in Germany)
UK PM Johnson's spokesman says PM told cabinet Russia's Putin should not be allowed to rewrite the rules and Ukraine should be allowed to aspire to NATO membership
After a press conference with Baerbock Lavrov claims that Russia is not threatening anyone, but receiving threats from "some forces inside Western Bloc"
Baerbock: if energy is used as a weapon, there will be corresponding consequences, including in connection with Nord Stream 2
Lavrov: I discussed with my German counterpart proposals for security guarantees and steps to continue solving the Ukrainian crisis
1 year agoBaerbock not pulling punches in press conference with Lavrov. She mentions Navalny and Memorial, and says difficult not to understand Russian troops at Ukraine border as a threat. Makes clear that Moscow is undermining security order, directly contradicting Lavrov
German foreign minister says we have discussed ways to re-start Normandy format talks
