Tensions in Ukraine are rising sharply as Russian-speaking separatists begin to evacuate Donbas en masse and return to Russian territory, claiming that Kiev is preparing an attack on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The West accuses Moscow of setting up provocations to invade Ukraine.
Moscow has spoken of Kiev’s attacks, while the West sees the clashes as a “pretext” for Putin’s attack.
In fact, US President Joe Biden in his speech yesterday once again expressed his confidence that “Russia will attack Ukraine in the coming days” targeting the country’s capital, Kiev, “a city with 2.8 million. innocent citizens “.
He noted that Moscow supports the Russian-speaking genocide, stressing that it is a “trick” and that it is trying to create a pretext for invading Ukraine. After all, as he said, Russian troops have “shot” along the Ukrainian border.
At the same time, he accused Russia of promoting “more and more misinformation to the Russian public,” including allegations that Ukraine was planning an attack on separatist-controlled territories.
“There is simply no evidence of these allegations and it defies basic logic,” he said, adding that “during these tense times, Ukrainian forces have shown great judgment and restraint.”
The Chronicles
Sirens sound in Donbass as pro-Russian separatists announce the evacuation of Donetsk and Luhansk, claiming that an attack by Ukrainian forces is imminent.
“The enemy’s armed forces are in battle positions, ready to seize Donbass by force. “First and foremost, women, children and the elderly must be evacuated.”
Immediately after the announcement, videos on the internet showed increased traffic of cars to Russian territories ….
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has said that Moscow is building the provocations it needs to invade Ukraine.
“Everything we see and what is happening in the last 24-48 hours is part of a scenario, in progress, which consists in creating set challenges, then responding to these challenges and finally carrying out an attack on Ukraine,” he said.
According to Reuters, 600 explosions were recorded in the area yesterday in the worst ignition of the conflicts after 2014.
Fire, explosions and mutual accusations between Ukrainians and pro-Russians for violations of the Minsk agreements with attacks and use of heavy weapons are the characteristics that compose the “war” scene.
“All this is done to provoke the Ukrainian army to respond and then accuse him of genocide,” said Ukrainian Army General Alexander Pavlyuk.
In fact, yesterday BBC articlereports that one of the videos of pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk published today calling on residents to evacuate the area and head to Russia was recorded on Wednesday, February 16, two days before the escalation of hostilities.
It is noted that in one of the videos, the leader claims that, due to the Ukrainian bombing, the order to evacuate civilians was given, saying: “Today, Friday, February 18…”.
“This suggests that the escalation was pre-planned,” the BBC notes.
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he was concerned about the situation in Donbass, stressing that “this is not the first time that Kiev has violated its obligations.”
Respectively, the French president, Emanuel Macron, stressed that “the situation in Donbas in the last hours is very worrying. Apparently there are already victims and my thinking is with the people and families that were targeted. To be clear, there is a proliferation of acts of violence. This has to stop”.
The Ukrainians reported new attacks by pro-Russians in the same city where a kindergarten had been bombed the day before.
New military exercises in the presence of Putin
And as tensions rise in eastern Ukraine, Russia has announced new military exercises for today, Saturday, to test its readiness to prevent even a nuclear attack. The exercises will be conducted under the supervision of Vladimir Putin and include, among other things, the launch of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
“Putin is likely to be in control. Test launches are impossible without the head of state. “You all know about the black suitcase, the red button and so on,” said Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peshkov.
At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the removal of other units that have completed their exercises from the border with Ukraine.
“After completing all their exercises in the field, they were instructed to set the timetable for the return of the units to their bases,” said Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
The West is strengthening its forces in the region
However, the West has categorically denied the Russian allegations with an American diplomat talking about 170,000-190,000 Russian soldiers deployed around Ukraine.
“Although Russia is announcing that it is withdrawing its forces back to their bases, we do not see it. “In fact, we are seeing more forces arrive in the region,” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Under the threat of war, the concentration of forces in the region continues from the West. Spain and Germany send fighter jets to Bulgaria and Romania. The Netherlands announced the shipment of military equipment to Ukraine and the United States the sale of 250 tanks to Poland.
Everyone is hoping for a break in the war of nerves and propaganda, which will be given by the meeting of the foreign ministers of the United States of Russia, which has been locked up for next week. Anthony Blinken and Sergei Lavrov will meet on neutral ground, most likely in Finland or Geneva. At the table are Russian concerns about NATO’s eastward expansion, as reiterated in the Kremlin’s response to the United States.
“It is clear that we will never agree with the view that NATO’s open door policy will no longer be the reality of our Alliance. “The only other fact is that everyone knows that Ukraine’s accession is not on the agenda for the next few days, months or years.”
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