A.In the face of Russian troop movements and the worsening situation in eastern Ukraine, NATO warns Moscow against a further escalation. “NATO will continue to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We remain vigilant and continue to monitor the situation very closely, ”said a NATO spokesman for“ Welt ”. Russia’s destabilizing measures would undermine all efforts to de-escalate tensions.
The group of 30 NATO ambassadors met on April 1, the spokesman said. “The Allies share concern about Russia’s large-scale military activities in and around Ukraine.” It is also concerned that Russia violated the July 2020 ceasefire agreement, which resulted in the deaths of four Ukrainian soldiers last week have.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also expressed concern about Russian troop movements on the Crimean peninsula and on the Ukrainian border. Downing Street announced that Johnson had expressed the British government’s “serious concern” in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi on Monday. Zelenskyi thanked them for their support. Ukraine is “not alone” and is supported by the G-7 countries. Before Johnson, America’s President Joe Biden and EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell had given the Kiev government their support.
Reports of troop movements
According to the Ukrainian government, Russia is currently gathering thousands of military personnel on its borders and on the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which has been annexed by Moscow.
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In the conflict over eastern Ukraine, which has been going on since 2014, more than 13,000 people have been killed. In July, the conflicting parties agreed on a ceasefire. Since mid-February, however, there has been increased fighting that undermines the already fragile ceasefire. Moscow and Kiev blame each other for this.
Most recently, Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels accused each other of fatal attacks. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic said the Ukrainian army killed a young child in a drone attack on Saturday. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on Monday that the reports were “gross, cynical, evil and godless manipulation”.
The Arctic is also a focal point
According to the Pentagon, Russia’s military activities in the Arctic have not gone unnoticed either. “Of course we are watching it very closely,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Monday in Washington. A reporter asked him how concerned the US Department of Defense was with reports of weapons tests and satellite imagery of new Russian bases.
“Nobody has an interest in the Arctic being militarized,” said Kirby. The United States has national security interests in the Arctic. The region is crucial for national defense and “potential strategic corridor” between the Indo-Pacific, Europe and the United States.
The Arctic is of strategic importance for all bordering states – and not just from a military point of view. Huge amounts of oil and gas are suspected there. There are always territorial disputes over the valuable mineral resources.
At the end of March, the Russian Navy broke through meter-thick ice in the Arctic during an exercise with nuclear-powered submarines, thereby demonstrating its presence in the region. “Russia is renovating Soviet-era airfields and radar systems, building new ports and search and rescue centers,” the American broadcaster CNN quoted Pentagon spokesman Thomas Campbell in a report on Monday. In addition, Russia is expanding its fleet of nuclear and conventionally powered icebreakers and strengthening its ability to repel attacks and defend its territory over important parts of the Arctic.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/ukraine-alarmed-russias-troop-movements-are-worrying-nato/
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