A total of 24 Russian warships have been operating in the Sea of Japan(East Sea) and the southern part of the Sea of Okhotsk since Feb. 1, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday, in what defense chief Nobuo Kishi called part of "unusual" large-scale military exercises
2 year agoQuad foreign ministers discuss Russia/Ukraine
Internet services of Russian telecommunication provider Megafon are not available in Moscow, St.Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novosibirsk and Krasnodar Krai
Czech Republic MoI @Vit_Rakusan: We are ready to welcome thousands of Ukraine refugees if there is a military conflict with Russia. But we still hope there won't be a war. We can see disinformation platforms are more active these days
"In our assessment, the Russian Armed Forces are ready to embark on a full-scale military operation against Ukraine from the second half of February" per assessment from Estonia Foreign Intelligence Service
"We are not seeking direct confrontation with Russia," @POTUS says but warns that if Russia provokes the US, it will respond. He specifically cites that in the event of any cyber attacks against "our companies" the US is "prepared to respond"
Biden: "We're not seeking direct confrontation with Russia. I've been clear that if Russia targets Americans in Ukraine, we will respond forcefully"
"I will not send American servicemen to fight in Ukraine. [but] the United States will defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of American power. An attack against one NATO country is an attack against all of us." -Biden
"If Russia attacks Ukraine, it will be a war of choice or a war without cause or reason," Biden says. "The world will not forget that Russia chose needless death and destruction
If Russia invades Ukraine, "we will rally the world to oppose its aggression," continues @POTUS
Biden: Neither NATO nor Ukraine threatens Russia. We are not attacking Russia. We do not plan to destabilize Russia. I don't believe you want a bloody war
Biden: "To the citizens of Russia, you are not our enemy. And I do not believe you want a bloody destructive war against Ukraine, a country and the people with whom you share such deep ties of family history and culture"
Biden says there are 150,000 Russian troops encircling Ukraine
Biden: "The Russian defense minister reported today that some military units are leaving their positions near Ukraine. That would be good. We have not yet verified that. Indeed, our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position"
2 year agoUS "prepared no matter what happens" in Ukraine, says @POTUS, adding an attack by Russia is still "very much a possibility"
Washington Post: Russian government hackers have penetrated Ukrainian military, energy and other critical computer systems, U.S. government says
2 year agoThere's been a phone call today between @SecBlinken and his Russian counterpart, according to @StateDeptSpox
Russia recognition of Ukraine separatist regions would be 'attack without weapons': France
2 year agoUkrainian Minister of Defense:Very informative discussion with British colleague @BWallaceMP. We exchanged views on the results of his visit to Moscow & my call with the DefMinister of the Belarus. Our positions were synchronized before the meeting of the North Atlantic Council on Feb17
Paris: Macron and Biden agreed to verify the correctness of reports of the start of the Russian withdrawal from the borders of Ukraine
Ukraine's delegation to trilateral contact group seeks meeting after Russian parliament calls for recognition of occupied areas in Ukraine
2 year agoVideo showing S-300 system and missile containers in Vesela Lopan, Belgorod region
2 year agoLavrov, in a conversation with Blinken, noted the inadmissibility of aggressive rhetoric pumped up by Washington, calling for a pragmatic dialogue on issues raised by Russia - Russian Foreign Ministry
A White House Official says President Joe Biden talked with French President Macron by phone starting at 10:11a ET. That call lasted 49 minutes. They talked about Russian aggression
2 year agoRussian Defense Minister Shoigu arrived in Syria to inspect the exercises, and also met with Assad. More than 15 warships and over 30 aircraft are taking part in the exercises of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea
Germany's @Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz after meeting with Russian President Putin, calls for courageous action from all, says it is our "damned duty" to stand up for peace
Amid Russian statements about redeploying forces, @SecBlinken speaking now to FM Lavrov, a State Dept official says
Asked by @dpa if Russia will withdraw troops from border and commit to not invade, Putin says "we will act according to the plan..and the plan depends on what happens on the ground.."
2 year agoA Russian invasion of Ukraine is "highly likely", but there's a possibility the current stalemate could endure for an "extended period", UK foreign secretary said in a letter to MPs. @trussliz said any invasion, though, could be imminent & happen with no or little warning
Putin, re Ukraine joining NATO: "We need to resolve this question now"
