Biden to host meeting on Ukraine on Friday with leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Britain, EU and NATO- Canadian pm's office
2 year agoUS State Dept issues readout of Sec State Antony Blinken's conversation today with Poland's foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau, re: Russia and Ukraine
U.S. officials say there are between 3,000-5,000 Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group in Africa and about 800-1,000 in Mali currently, a number they expect to grow after France announced it was withdrawing its troops from the West African country
Nearly half of Russian forces massed near Ukraine are now within 30 miles (48 km) of the border, British sources say - Guardian
2 year agoMilitary echelon with Iskander filmed today
Ukraine will not negotiate with pro-Russian militants, because it is nonsense, said Zelensky
2 year agoSelf-propelled artillery filmed today in Borki, Belgorod region
Putin issued a decree conferring the rank of general on 26 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces. 24 colonels received the rank of major general, and two captains of the 1st rank - rear admirals.
Blinken: Russia says it is drawing down those forces. We don't see that happening on the ground. Our information indicates clearly that these forces including ground troops, aircraft, ships are preparing to launch an attack against Ukraine in the coming DAYS
British Minister of State: We condemn the proposal of the Russian State Duma to recognize the independence of the regions of eastern Ukraine
British Minister of State for Europe and North America: Russia has fabricated a dispute in the Donbass and continues to fuel it
Blinken says he invited Russian foreign minister Lavrov to meet next week to "discuss the steps that we can take to resolve this crisis without conflict." Alongside meetings at NATO-Russia Council and OSCE
Sec Blinken says he is laying out in detail what the US is seeing to push Russia to abandon the path of war & US will be "relieved if Russia does not invade Ukraine and US "will gladly accept any criticism" if there is not an invasion
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken says Russia's military buildup of 'more' than 150,000 troops on Ukraine's border is a 'manufactured provocation'
Blinken: "I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one. The information I presented here is validated by what we've seen unfolding in plain sight before our eyes for months”
Blinken: "Russia may describe this event as ethnic cleansing or a genocide, making a mockery of a concept that we in this chamber do not take light, nor do I take lightly based on my family history”
At the UNSC, Russian deputy foreign minister urges U.S. not to put itself in an "awkward position" by continuing to make "baseless accusations" about Ukrainian invasion. Speaking immediately after, Blinken says this is "a moment of peril" as Russia prepares for war
2 year ago"The most immediate threat to peace and security is Russia's looming aggression against Ukraine," @SecBlinken told @UN Security Council
"This crisis directly affects every member of this council and every country in the world," @SecBlinken says at the UN
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister at UNSC: The Ukrainian army is using prohibited methods in eastern Ukraine
Russia is trying to distort reality and accuse Ukraine of shelling - Ukrainian FM Kuleba
The White House accuses Russia of "Potemkin diplomacy, where they publicly offer to talk and make claims about deescalation while privately mobilizing for war”
State Department spokesperson says of Russia expelling the US' number 2 official at US embassy Moscow: "Russia's action against our [Deputy Chief of Mission] was unprovoked and we consider this an escalatory step and are considering our response."
Russia 'will be forced to respond, including with military-technical measures,' if no US security guarantees: Russian foreign ministry
2 year agoBritish Ministry of Defense: Russia retains a significant military presence that can conduct an invasion without further warning. Below demonstrates President Putin's possible axis of invasion. He still can choose to prevent conflict and preserve peace
Turkish drone targeted the surrounding of the Russian military base in Hasakah northern countryside, NE_Syria
Ukraine's defence ministry says shelling from pro-Russian forces has stopped as of 13.00 local time - Reuters
Russia has "enough troops, enough capabilities to launch a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine with very little or no warning time" per @NATO's @jensstoltenberg "That is what makes the situation so dangerous"
Russian foreign Ministry comments on response: it is inappropriate to demand to withdraw troops from certain regions of Russia. Russia demands Ukraine implements Minsk agreements, the West should stop weapons delivery to Ukraine, withdraw what was delivered already, recall all instructors and advisors from Ukraine, prohibition of NATO joint exercises with Ukraine. Russia demands all U.S. troops and weapons withdrawal from Central and Eastern Europe, Baltic countries. Russia expects proposals on non-expansion of NATO. Russia highlights that questions on arms control cannot be considered separately from other points
SecDef Austin: no sign of de-escalation, "quite the contrary we see them add to the more than 150 thousand troops that they have already arrayed on that border even in the last couple of days." Added: "We even see them stocking up their blood supplies"
