A senior State Department official, in describing the US thinking behind agreeing to send written responses to Moscow, notes "we're taking this step by step, but we don't want to be the ones to foreclose the possible diplomatic solution
1 year agoNow, the Russian warplanes are dropping two luminous thermal balloons in the sky of Jabal Al-Zawiya, south of Idlib
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke by phone today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at the conclusion of his trip to Europe to address Russia’s unprovoked military buildup near Ukraine’s borders
Germany is blocking NATO ally Estonia from giving military support to Ukraine by refusing to issue permits for German-origin weapons to be exported to Kyiv as it braces for a potential Russian invasion
Russia-Ukraine: "We continue to see a very sizable force presence by the Russians in the western part of their country.concerning" per @PentagonPresSec "They continue to add to the force presence there"
President Biden will meet with his national security team this weekend at Camp David, WH press secretary Jen Psaki said. Asked if another summit is necessary between Biden and Putin, she said that has not been decided but the president is open to one
1 year agoNATO rejects Russia's demands to withdraw forces from Bulgaria and Romania, saying the alliance "will not renounce its ability to protect and defend each other, including with the presence of troops in the eastern part of the Alliance."
.@PressSec confirms that @SecBlinken statement that "whether it's 1 Russian soldier or 1000 crossing the border it's an attack" is "the President's policy that he has directed to his Secretary of State”
Defense Minister of Latvia: The Baltic states will send "Stinger" and "Javelin" systems, as well as various individual equipment to help Ukraine to strengthen its defences. I strongly urge Russia to de-escalate situation at the border with Ukraine and respect its sovereignty
Troops of the Eastern Military District, Russian Aerospace Forces and Russsian Airborne Forces will take part in joint exercises with Belarus — Ministry of Defense of Belarus
1 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Ryazan
1 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Chelyabinsk
Ukraine security services accuse Russia of false bomb threat campaign aimed to 'sow alarm and panic'
Bulgaria in response to Russia says it decides itself on its defence with NATO allies
The Bank of Russia received bomb threat, the staff was evacuated, an inspection is underway, the press service of the regulator reports.
1 year agoIran chief negotiator @Bagheri_Kani met EU's @enriquemora_ and Russia chief negotiator @Amb_Ulyanov today on Friday
Blinken says he asked Lavrov to describe how Russian side believes its actions have advanced Russia's interests - references increased support in Ukraine for alignment with West
Blinken: "Sometimes we and Russia have different interpretations of history"
Blinken on a possible Biden-Putin summit: "If it proves useful and productive for the two presidents to meet to talk, to engage to try to carry things forward, I think we're fully prepared to do that"
Blinken says Russia's buildup gives it the ability to attack Ukraine from south, east and north
Asked to explain Biden's reasoning for ruling out US troops in Ukraine in case of invasion, Blinken says "Ukraine is a very valued partner of the US and other countries in Europe as well, but our Article V commitment extends to NATO allies.
And Ukraine is not a member of NATO"
33 trains with military equipment and Russian servicemen have arrived in Belarus over the past week. Such data is provided by the telegram channel "Community of Railway workers." The total number of trains with Russian military equipment that will arrive in Belarus is 200 trains
Blinken says Lavrov repeated denial of plans to invade Ukraine. "But it is deeds and actions" that US will judge, he says, asks Russia to redeploy forces from near Ukraine's border (which Lavrov just a little while ago said was none of America's business since inside Russia)
1 year agoAfter meeting with Lavrov in Geneva, @SecBlinken reiterates that there is "no trade space" on Ukraine's right to choose it's own path. Also makes clear that in terms of agreements, "nothing about NATO without NATO" & "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine
Blinken says US will consult with allies and then provide Russia written responses to its security proposals - after which he'll talk again to Lavrov
Blinken says he believes they can move forward on agreements on condition of "Russia stopping its aggression toward Ukraine"
"We've been clear. If any Russian military forces move across Ukraine's border, that's a renewed invasion. It will be met with swift, severe and a united response from the United States and our partners and allies," @SecBlinken says after Lavrov meeting
1 year ago.@SecBlinken "This was not a negotiation, but a candid exchange of concerns and ideas"
"There is no trade space there - none" he says of Ukrainians' right to decide their future, Blinken says
On Russia's security concerns, Blinken says US ready to take steps on a reciprocal basis
.@SecBlinken, speaking to media after Lavrov meeting, says Russia "has an extensive playbook short of aggression" including cyber and paramilitary ops. Says such actions will be met with united Western response
NATO's actions towards Ukraine clearly demonstrate that the alliance considers it as a zone of its influence, - said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Lavrov says that the Russian experience of dealing with the West on security issues is full with cases of broken promises
Lavrov said today's meeting with Blinken in Geneva was intermediate, could be another meeting between FMs after written response received
Lavrov on threats to Ukraine: who is threatening whom, - it is a big question. Says Russia is not going to attack Ukraine
Lavrov: Blinken promised to provide a written response to security proposals next week
Lavrov-Blinken meeting in Geneva concluded after 1.5 hours
Putin Convened Russian Security Council. Discussed additional measures to combat future floods and improve fire safety
Shoigu invited British Defense Minister Ben Wallace to Moscow to discuss security issues, - the Russian Defense Ministry said
Russian Deputy FM Ryabkov: If Russia is disappointed with the West's response to its security proposals, it will have to make serious political decisions
EU ambassadors have agreed on council conclusions on Ukraine & Russia to be adopted by EU for mins on Mon. as expected, it includes "the council reiterates that any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine will have massive consequences & severe costs
1 year agoAsipovichy. A Russian train with military equipment was spotted yesterday (20.01). In addition, there were more than 10 reserved seat cars of Russian Railways with soldiers of the Russian Federation at the station
Sec. of State Blinken tells Russian foreign minister Lavrov US still seeking diplomatic solution on Ukraine
1 year agoNow @SecBlinken concluding opening remarks asking about Trevor Reed and Americans detained in Russia, asking for Russia to let them come home
Blinken says he's here to present a United message from West
1 year agoLavrov to @SecBlinken: I heard one of your last statements when you said you do not expect a breakthrough at these negotiations. We do not expect a breakthrough either. What we do expect is complete answers to our proposals
1 year agoBlinken and Lavrov begin talks over Ukraine
1 year agoRQ-4 drone watching Ukraine-Russia-Belarus border closely
1 year agoRyabkov: we are not afraid of anyone, even of U.S.
Putin and Maduro did not discuss by phone on Thursday the issue of the deployment of Russian military bases in Venezuela - Peskov
Ukraine intelligence says Russia actively recruiting mercenaries who are undergoing intensive training courses in training centers
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warn Russia will pay a "considerable and serious price" if it invades Ukraine. In a phone call Thursday, the two leaders agreed "further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine must be averted"
1 year agoRussian Iskander missile systems are spotted in Asipovichy. The first reports that they were brought there for the drills were received last night. The Asipovichy training ground was officially announced as the place for the drills
Relations between Russia and the United States have approached a dangerous critical line - Russian Foreign Ministry
It is hardly possible to seriously talk about the revival or restoration of the USSR - Russian Foreign Ministry
France and Germany would like to keep the Normandy format in its current form, - Russian FM Lavrov said about the possibility of US participation
Germany says Russia will pay "considerable and serious price" for Ukraine aggression
The NATO Secretary General's statement about readiness to accept Finland and Sweden into the alliance is an external pressure on their policy, - Lavrov
The German chancellor and the British prime minister discuss by phone the developments of tension between Russia and Ukraine
Two battalions of S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems have begun redeployment to Belarus - Russian Ministry of Defense
Two Tu-160s have conducted flight over the Arctic Ocean, the Barents and White Seas
1 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Bryansk
Secretary Blinken: Governments and citizens everywhere should care about what's happening in Ukraine. This is not a distant regional dispute or yet another example of Russian bullying. The principles at stake have made the world safer and more stable for decades
1 year agoUS Secretary of State @SecBlinken met chancellor @OlafScholz in the chancellery in Berlin Scholz' spokesperson @RegSprecher: "The situation on the border with Russia remains very delicate. It's up to Russia to defuse the situation and withdraw its troops"
1 year agoMilitary echelon in Tyumen
1 year agoMilitary equipment at Maslovka railway station near Voronezh today
A court in St. Petersburg recovered 60,000 rubles from the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the fact that the police did not investigate the case of an attack on an LGBT couple
1 year agoRussia Special Flight Squadron Il-96 Moscow to Geneva. Lavrov scheduled to meet Blinken Friday: RA-96014, 15770E
President Erdoğan: We are paying great importance to both Mr. Putin's visit to Turkey and my visit to Ukraine. I have a visit to Ukraine at the beginning of next month
President Erdoğan on Russia-Ukraine tensions: Our hope is to bring together Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky as soon as possible and to ensure that they have a face-to-face meeting
President Erdogan on Russia-Ukraine tensions: We want peace in the region, other than that, other negative developments do not happen
1 year agoPresident Biden stresses any move across Ukraine border by Russian military units would constitute an invasion
1 year agoUSAmbNATO: Today I met with Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister @StefanishynaO and reaffirmed that Russian aggression against Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be met with a decisive, reciprocal, and united response by all @NATO Allies
President Erdogan: We do not find the developments between Russia and Ukraine correct
1 year agoThe commander of Russia's 35th division at Bernaul says remaining regiment (867th: 53.227, 84.664) will be fully equipped with SS-27 Mod 2 (Yars) ICBMs by April 2022. @Maxar satellite image shows first camouflaged vehicles on Dec 31, 2021
.@SecBlinken: "There's been a lot of speculation about President Putin's true intentions, but we don't actually have to guess - he's told us repeatedly. He's laying the groundwork for an invasion because he doesn't believe that Ukraine is a sovereign nation”
1 year agoMore Blinken in Berlin speech at @atlantikbruecke: Warns after Belarus that if Russia succeeds in Ukraine, its "efforts to turn its neighbors into puppet states and crack down on any spark of democratic expression will intensify
1 year agoSpeaking in Berlin at @atlantikbruecke, Blinken warns Russia "would drag us all back to a much more dangerous and unstable time when this continent— and this city — were divided in two"
Secretary Antony Blinken:Productive conversation with @JensStoltenberg, @JosepBorrellF, and @mblaszczak to discuss Russia's destabilizing military buildup near Ukraine's border and the need for de-escalation. We are working together in a variety of fora to advance dialogue on European security
1 year agoAnother military echelon filmed in Ufa
A U.S. official confirms CIA Director William Burns traveled to Berlin - and Brussels - last week, in addition to Kyiv. During his visits he met with intelligence counterparts, European and NATO leaders, and discussed issues of shared concern, including Russia/Ukraine tensions
Kyiv City Council approved a resolution today to spend about $3.9 million over the next three years to stand up a full Territorial Defense brigade and HQ. Measure was made amid the "high probability of a full-scale invasion" by Russia, deputy chairman Andriy Krischenko said
1 year agoRussian troops have officially arrived in the Belarusian town of Yelsk, 18km from Ukraine. A local news outlet made a short story about it
1 year agoIran FM @Amirabdolahian met Russia FM Lavrov in Moscow
1 year agoRussian envoy discusses Syria with Saudi crown prince - now back to Damascus RA-85586
Russia's international reserves increased by $7.7 billion over the week to $638.2 billion, the Central Bank said
Military doctors of the Western Military District conducted exercises with about 1,200 military police officers to provide first aid to military personnel who received shrapnel and bullet wounds
Central Bank of Russia say cryptocurrencies have multiple features of pyramid scheme - speculative growth backed only by new holders
Russian Central bank: as cryptocurrencies pose risk to sovereignty of Ruble it is recommended to prohibit any operations with cryptocurrencies, prohibit mining of cryptocurrencies in Russia, block any crypto-fiat exchange operations, impose responsibility for Russian citizens for crypto operations
The forces of the Russian Pacific, Northern and Baltic fleets will conduct exercises in the Mediterranean Sea - Russian Defense Ministry
Six large landing ships of the Russian Navy is heading to the Mediterranean Sea for exercises, - the Russian Defense Ministry said
The Russian Defense Ministry: The Russian Navy will conduct separate maneuvers in the White Sea and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
1 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Kaluga region
1 year agoTents at camp in Yelna now heated and soldiers can be distinguished on satellite images
The Russian ambassador to Berlin: Our forces advance near Ukraine in response to arms supplies from the West to Kyiv
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday the EU will respond with "massive" economic and financial sanctions in case of further attacks against Ukraine
EU’s Von Der Leyen says we do not accept Russia attempt to divide Europe into spheres of influence
1 year agoBloomberg sources: Russian FSB convinced head of Russian Central Bank Nabiulina to support full ban of cryptocurrencies in Russia, as crypto could be used to fund opposition and foreign agents in Russia
The missile formation of the Southern Military District received a brigade set of the Iskander-M missile system, - The commander of the 47th missile brigade of the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District, Lieutenant Colonel Vitaly Bobyr
It is acceptable for the Russian Federation to receive a written response from the United States to Russian proposals, next week, - Kremlin
