2 year agoFrance statement on call with @POTUS about Russia-Ukraine @EmmanuelMacron "expressed his deep concern over the situation on the Ukrainian border & the need to work collectively to de-escalate it quickly.must involve strong, credible warnings to Russia"
2 year agoPresident Biden:Today, I spoke with European leaders in response to Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders. We discussed our joint efforts to deter further Russian aggression, such as preparations to impose severe economic costs on Russia and reinforce security on the eastern flank
Duda: I announce the National Security Council, I want it to be held on Friday
It is safe to talk about NATO unity when it comes to the most important partners. We discussed the actions that could be taken if there was a Russian aggression - president @andrzejduda after allied consultations organized by @potus @joebiden
Size of Russian forces around Ukraine "Has gotten bigger. Absolutely" per @PentagonPresSec - "They are in fact adding more"
Per @StateDeptSpox, US still expects to send its written response to Russia re NATO/Ukraine this week, will include response to Russia's proposals and also other issues the US is hoping can be grounds for agreement with Russia
"It's very clear the Russians have no intention right now of deescalating" per @PentagonPresSec on timing of this announcement of heightened alert
"As of now the decision has been made to pace these units on heightened alerts & heightened alert only" per @PentagonPresSec. Some units been told to be ready to deploy in as little as 5 days, he says "No final decision has been made to deploy them"
DoD press sec Kirby: "The US is taking steps to heighten the readiness of forces at home and abroad so they are prepared to support a range of contingencies, including the NATO Response Force if it is activated"
@PentagonPresSec Kirby announcing steps to ready multi-national NATO response force (NRF) of 40,000 troops "if it is activated to defeat aggression, if necessary" against Russia
.@SecDef has placed "a range of units on a heightened readiness to deploy" - about 8,500 personnel - per @PentagonPresSec
Pentagon taking steps to heighten readiness over Ukraine - including for @NATO response force if activated, per @PentagonPresSec. US "keenly focused" on Russia's military build-up along Ukraine and in Belarus
White House says there is no plan to evacuate Americans from Ukraine with military assets. Psaki says people are being encouraged to leave by commercial aircraft
France sees 'path to de-escalation' of Ukraine-Russia tensions: Macron aide
US refining its military plans for all scenarios on Ukraine crisis: White House
2 year agoThe NeptuneStrike22 "is the first time since the end of the Cold War that a US carrier strike group has gone under @NATO command, and this exercise will help demonstrate the unity capability and strength of the Transatlantic Alliance," said @PressSec
2 year agoMilitary equipment near Voronezh
Speaker Pelosi has asked the White House for an all-member, bipartisan briefing on Ukraine/Russia situation
"There is no reason to panic": Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Olexiy Danilov called for calm in the face of a possible Russian invasion
A Russian businessman with close ties to Russian President Putin and accused of being involved in an insider trading and hacking scheme will be detained pending trial, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled
2 year agoWhite House: "In the afternoon, the President will hold a secure video call with European leaders as part of our close consultation and coordination with our Transatlantic Allies and partners in response to Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders
DHS assesses that Russia would consider conducting a cyberattack on US if Moscow perceived that a US/NATO response to a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine "threatened [Russia's] long-term national security
Biden administration now in final stages of identifying specific military units to send to Eastern Europe to deter Russia. Next steps likely to be prep orders and then deployment orders once final decision several US officials tell CNN
2 year agoNATO Secretary General @jensstoltenberg and UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz discussed Russia's military build-up in/around Ukraine & implications for European security. He thanked her for British contributions to NATO collective defence & strong support to our partner Ukraine
Senior Elysée source tells: "There is a kind of alarmism in Washington and London which we cannot understand. We see no immediate likelihood of Russian military action. We simply want our interpretation to be taken into account before a common western approach is agreed"
2 year agoBelarusian opposition group "Cyber-Partisans" reported an attack on the computer network of Belarusian Railways. They have encrypted the bulk of Belarusian Railways servers, databases and workstations to slow down and disrupt the operation of the railway on which trains with Russian troops arrive in Belarus
The vessel is on fire on the territory of the Rostov shipbuilding plant Moryak, smoke was recorded in the hold, the press service of the Main Directorate of the Russian Emergencies Ministry for the Rostov Region reported
The Bank of Russia on the background of the fall of the ruble starting 15.00 halt the purchase of foreign currency due to the "budget rule"
Intelligence is "pretty gloomy" on an imminent, new Russian invasion of Ukraine but it's not inevitable, UK PM says. "I have got to tell you that I think the intelligence is pretty gloomy on this point," he says
British PM says there are around 60 Russian battle groups on the borders of Ukraine. In a pool TV interview, @BorisJohnson said: "The plan for a lightning war that could take out Kyiv is one that everyone can see. We need to make it clear to Russia that that would be a disastrous step"
