Russia is building up militarily before Ukraine. Observers from the west are alarmed – and create a surprising connection.
- Troubling troop movements: Russia sends military to the border with Ukraine.
- The US is alarmed: what does Vladimir Putin want to achieve with the troops?
- NATO is also concerned about Russia’s troop movements.
Washington DC – Members of the US secret service and government warn of an escalation of the Crimean crisis. The reason for the reports are military movements by Russia on the border with Ukraine, according to the New York Times. Now voices are also being raised that connect the development with the migration conflict between Belarus and the EU.
Russia expanded its military presence around Ukraine in April. However, the current developments are causing greater alarm among observers in the west. Russia has positioned tanks, howitzers and short-range ballistic missiles within range of Ukraine in Crimea, according to a report from the Center for International and Strategic Studies in the USA.
Impending escalation in Crimea: USA warns of Russia-Ukraine conflict
The secret services from Great Britain and the USA are not yet sure what Russia is trying to achieve with these movements, but they are not assuming a bluff, as the New York Times writes. According to this, it is possible that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to take control of a larger area of Ukraine. There is also the possibility that the aim is to destabilize the neighboring state sufficiently to help a pro-Russian government come to power.
| Surname | Crimea |
|---|---|
| length | 200km |
| broad | 325km |
| area | 26,844 km² |
| Population (2014) | 2,353,100 |
“It is not inevitable that the kinetic conflict will increase, but all the conditions are there,” said Frederick B. Hodges, commenting on the situation to the New York Times, and warned of the consequences if the West does not appear united enough. Until 2017, Hodges was in command of the US Army in Europe and Russia. The Secretary General of NATO also expressed concern and said on Friday (November 19, 2021) in Berlin: “It is urgently necessary that Russia shows transparency about its military armament, de-escalates and reduces tensions.”
Russia-Ukraine conflict: US observers on connection with Belarus
The military development of Russia on the border with Ukraine is particularly interesting in the context of further world events. Former functionaries from the USA create a connection to the rising energy prices in Germany and the rest of Europe. The associated dependence of the West on cheap energy from Russia could therefore make sanctions against Moscow more difficult, as the New York Times reports.
In addition, Jim Townsend, a former Pentagon employee, draws attention to a possible connection to the situation in Belarus. He told the New York Times that this could be a distraction for the West. “All eyes are on the Belarusian border. Meanwhile, Putin is putting together what he thinks he needs to go to Ukraine. ”A direct connection between Moscow and Minsk with regard to current developments has not yet been found. (vbu)
Header list image: © Vadim Savitsky / afp
