2 year agoMFA of Canada: Canada and our @NATO allies are united in our support for Ukraine and its people. Russia must de-escalate and engage in meaningful dialogue— any military incursion into Ukraine will have serious consequences, including coordinated sanctions
2 year agoIt's now Saturday morning in Kazakhstan, where internet has been cut for some 60 hours. The blackout has produced an information vacuum as anti-government protests escalate, hindering independent media and human rights monitors
US Department of State: In fact, we have been clear with Russia, publicly and privately, that should Russia further invade Ukraine we would reinforce our @NATO partners on the eastern flank, to whom we have sacred obligation as Allies
US Department of State: It is not accurate that the administration is developing options for pulling back U.S. forces in Eastern Europe in preparation for discussions with Russia next week, which we told NBC while they were reporting this story
2 year agoThis equipment at Unecha Railway Station - Bryansk Oblast, was still parked there on January 2nd, but has since been moved elsewhere. The parking area is empty on today's Sentinel-2 pass, at 0905z
Denmark will support the three Baltic countries militarily in case of Russian escalation says Danish Minister of Defence
NSC spox Emily Horne responds to @NBCNews report, telling @MollyNagle3, "It is not accurate that the admin is developing options for pulling back US forces in E. Europe in preparation for discussions with Russia next week, which we told NBC while they were reporting this story
2 year agoMilitary convoy in Ulan-Ude filmed, comment "the military equipment is on the move, not for the first day"
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde today and discussed shared concerns on Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s borders.
Developments in Kazakhstan are politically, economically different than what's happening outside Ukraine, Blinken says. "Having said that, I think one lesson of recent history is that, once Russians are in your house, it's sometimes very difficult to get them to leave," he adds
Blinken says "we are very concerned" about developments in Kazakhstan and "have questions" about the nature of the request for assistance from CSTO. "It would seem to me that the Kazakh authorities certainly have the capacity to deal appropriately with protests"
Making non-starter demands to create a pretext for invasion is "certainly part of [Russia's] playbook," Blinken tells @CBSNews @EenaRuffini, "but there are also issues where we can engage"
Blinken: "We would far prefer a diplomatic solution to a crisis that Russia has brought forth. That's what next week's meetings.. are all about." "It will be very difficult to make actual progress if Russia continues to escalate its military buildup & its inflammatory rhetoric
"They want to draw us into a debate about NATO, rather than focus on the matter at hand, which is their aggression toward Ukraine," Blinken says. "We won't be diverted from that issue"
Russia is also undertaking a "significant effort to push propaganda against Ukraine, NATO and the United States," Blinken says. "No one should be surprised if Russia instigates a provocation or incident, then tries to use it to justify military intervention" he says
Blinken in his presser notes that Russia's claims that NATO is threatening Russia is false. NATO "exists to protect, not to attack," he says. "NATO never promised not to admit new members. there was no promise that NATO wouldn't expand"
Blinken says Russia has nearly 100,000 troops at Ukraine's border today, with "plans to mobilize twice that number on very short order
"We're prepared to respond forcefully to further Russian aggression," @SecBlinken says, "but a diplomatic solution is still possible - and preferable - if Russia chooses it
2 year agoPhoto of military equipment posted yesterday. Equipment at Razdol'noe, Primorsky Krai
.@SecBlinken spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister @DmytroKuleba about Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders, and upcoming diplomatic engagements with Russia. "No conversations about Ukraine without Ukraine”
Russia - "They are gradually building up with more forces, more capabilities" per @NATO's @jensstoltenberg "We see armored units. We see artillery.We see electronic warfare equipment" re Ukraine
2 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Transbaikal region
.@NATO: "We regret that despite the calls of the int'l community over many weeks, Russia has not taken steps to deescalate" per SecGen @jensstoltenberg. "The Russian military build-up continues with tens of thousands of combat troops & heavy capabilities"
2 year agoMilitary echelon filmed in Irkutsk region
NATO chief won't be drawn on size & speed of any increase in troops to bolster NATO defences should Russianewly invade Ukraine, but says: "We have significant capabilities. We have troops. We have the readiness. We have the plans to be able to protect and defend all allies"
"When Russia is now finally ready to meet, we should welcome that fact" per @NATO SecGen @jensstoltenberg
"For us there is contradiction between deterrence & dialogue" with Russia, per @NATO SecGen @jensstoltenberg Says there is a lot to discuss, inclu. arms control
@NATO SecGen @jensstoltenberg says alliance must be prepared for possibility talks with Russia over Ukraine break down & if Moscow uses force vs. Kyiv - "There will be severe consequences, a high price to pay" with economic, financial & political sanctions, he says
2 year agoAllies are following developments in Kazakhstan very closely, says NATO SecGen Stoltenberg, lamenting the loss of life
NATO is concerned about events in Kazakhstan
