IN SHORT:
- Moscow has moved fighter jets to military exercises in Belarus.
- The first additional US troops arrive in Poland to strengthen Allied security.
- Britain promises to double its NATO battle group in Estonia.
- Russia: Increasing NATO’s presence in Europe raises tensions
NATO is beginning to strengthen its presence in Eastern Europe
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Russia and Belarus
In just five days, Russia and Belarus are planning to launch a 10-day military exercise in the south of Belarus and on the Ukrainian border. The unprecedented concentration of Russian forces in the region remains a matter of great concern for a possible invasion of Ukraine.
On Saturday, February 5, it became known that Russian Su-25M jet fighters had also been transferred to Belarus. Their number is not revealed.
According to US and NATO estimates, Moscow plans to increase the number of Russian troops stationed in Belarus to 30,000 in the coming weeks.
The US newspaper “New York” reports that Russia is in the final stages of a possible invasion of Ukraine, citing sources in the Ukrainian armed forces. Among other things, the redeployment of 10,000 troops to the Russian-occupied Crimea over the past two weeks has been noted.
NATO countries
In response to growing threats, US President Joe Biden confirmed the deployment of several thousand American troops to Eastern Europe this week. 1,700 troops from Fort Breg in North Carolina will be sent to Poland and 300 to Germany. In turn, about 1,000 American troops already in Germany will be transferred to Romania.
It is reported that on Saturday, the first US soldiers arrived at the Jesionka airport near Rzeszów, which will prepare the arrival of other colleagues. One plane with American troops was originally scheduled to arrive on Saturday, but the flight was unexpectedly canceled and would only arrive in Poland on Sunday.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau met with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in Washington on Friday to discuss the security situation.
At the same time, it has become known that the United Kingdom is also going to double its NATO battle group in Estonia, which could send another 850 soldiers to our neighboring country this month. According to the British Ambassador to Estonia Ross Allens, the new additional forces will take part in the largest military exercise “Siil 2022” in Estonia, but it is not known how long they will stay in the country. As Allen pointed out, everything will depend on security in the region.
Russia has already stated that the decision of the United States and other NATO members to transfer several thousand more troops to Europe is a destructive step that is only exacerbating tensions. The Russian leadership has repeatedly emphasized that the unsubstantiated allegations of planned aggression are the only reason to increase the presence of foreign forces near Russia’s borders, as well as to get Ukraine involved in military adventures by arming Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the White House has responded to a joint statement by Russian and Chinese leaders, in which both countries opposed any further enlargement of NATO. Washington emphasized that the conflict in Europe would also affect China’s interests around the world.
“The president believes we have our own relationship with China. Secretary Blinken spoke to the Chinese Foreign Minister last week, stressing the global security and economic risks posed by Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine and pointing out that de-escalation and diplomacy were the way forward.
We have also pointed out that a destabilizing conflict in Europe would affect China’s interests around the world,
and China should definitely know that, “said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Ukraine
Meanwhile, a “March of Unity” took place in the Ukrainian city of Kharkov, bringing together about five thousand people. The march was organized by more than 80 civil society organizations, but the authorities initially wanted to ban it on the pretext of Covid-19 restrictions and possible provocations. The Court rejected such objections.
A few weeks ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky allowed Russia to try to occupy Kharkov on the pretext of protecting the Russian-speaking population. These statements strongly condemned the people of Kharkov and also politicians, stressing that Kharkov has always been and will be part of Ukraine and that there is no question of a possible split.
In Pripyat, in the Chernobyl region near the border with Belarus, Ukrainian army soldiers and Interior Ministry forces held exercises on Friday. Interior Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that Kiev believes it is unlikely that Russia will invade Ukraine on the part of Belarus.
“Currently, the number of Russian forces participating in the training in Belarus is several thousand soldiers. “That is not enough to carry out a large-scale invasion,” Reznikov said.
CONTEXT:
Russia has concentrated a troop of 100,000 men on Ukraine’s borders, raising concerns about a new invasion of a neighboring country.
In December, Moscow issued an ultimatum to the West demanding a halt further enlargement of NATO to the east, as well as the dismantling of the Alliance’s infrastructure in the so-called new member states, restoring the situation that existed on 27 May 1997, ie before the first enlargement of NATO.
Putin has threatened that if Moscow does not receive his requests “security guarantees”, he will have to implement “military technical measures”.
The United States and other NATO members have stated that these demands are unacceptable and not even negotiable, but have shown readiness to talk about arms control, missile deployment and confidence-building measures.
At a video summit on December 7, US President Joe Biden warned Putin that the United States would impose unprecedented sanctions on Russia if it attacked Ukraine.
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