Biden said in Washington on Thursday that the threat of an invasion is “very high” and that he believes it could happen “in the next few days.” Everything indicates that Russia is ready to attack Ukraine. At the same time, the US President emphasized that there was still the possibility of a diplomatic solution. That’s why he sent US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York. Biden also said he has no plans at this time to call Russian President Vladimir Putin again.
Video: Eike-Clemens Kullmann, OÖN department head Weltspiegel, analyzes the Ukraine crisis with Klaus Mittmansgruber, OÖN-TV:
There is also reason to believe Moscow is involved in a false flag operation, Biden said. This is how machinations are described in order to artificially stage a pretext for an attack.
More than 150,000 soldiers at the border
The US government accuses Russia of further increasing troops and equipment on the border with Ukraine, despite protestations to the contrary from Moscow. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said on Thursday after the NATO defense ministers held meetings in Brussels: The Russians have asserted that they will withdraw some of their forces after the exercises have been completed, “but we don’t see that – quite the opposite.” He explained, “We see them bolstering the more than 150,000 troops they already have deployed along the border. Even in the past few days.”
Austin further lamented, “We’re seeing some of these troops moving closer to the border. We’re seeing them fly in more fighter and support aircraft.” Moscow is also increasing its military readiness in the Black Sea. “We’re even seeing them stocking up on blood supplies.” The minister emphasized: “One does not do such things without reason. And certainly not when one is about to pack one’s things and go home.”
Troop build-up instead of deduction
A senior US government official said on Wednesday evening (local time) that in the “past few days” Russia had brought around 7,000 additional soldiers near the Ukrainian border. Findings from the US government meanwhile show that Russia’s announcement of a partial withdrawal was “wrong”. NATO had already spoken of a Russian troop build-up instead of the announced partial withdrawal.
Source: Nachrichten
