(AP)
Russia has bolstered its military deployment on the border with Ukraine in recent weeks with Moscow’s military power now consisting of 106,000 troops, according to western and Ukrainian officials.
Fears that Russian president Vladimir Putin will decide to invade eastern Ukraine have been growing as Moscow is attempting to build pressure on the US and West to promise that Kyiv will not join its Nato defensive alliance.
Russia has repeatedly dismissed the allegation by Kyiv that it would invade the country and denies a military build-up.
The US and UK on Thursday renewed warnings to Mr Putin against any attempt to invade Ukraine.
Speaking in Taunton, Boris Johnson offered support to the beleaguered ally, saying: “If Russia were to make any kind of incursion into Ukraine on any scale whatever I think that would be a disaster for not just for Russia, it would be a disaster for the world”.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva today with the goal of achieving a “diplomatic off-ramp” to ease tensions, according to State Department officials.
Biden’s ‘minor incursion’ remark sparks concerns of Ukraine president
Joe Biden has said he thinks Russia will make a move on Ukraine, warning Moscow it would face a “stiff price” for an attack yet suggesting that a “minor incursion” might be treated differently by the US and its allies.
The US president’s comments at a White House news conference on Wednesday injected uncertainty into how the West would respond should Russian President Vladimir Putin order an invasion of Ukraine.
Alexandra Alper has more details.
Shweta Sharma21 January 2022 09:59
Europeans are ‘united’ on Ukraine crisis: Spain’s foreign minister
Putting weight behind Ukraine, Spain’s foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares said Europeans have a united stance on the crisis situation in the country as Russia threatens invasion.
“Let’s give dialogue a chance. That is what Spain is pushing for. If dialogue does not bear fruit, of course, Spain will stand with its European partners and its Nato allies united in deterrence,” he said on Friday in Madrid.
His statement came as Spain has sent warships to join Nato naval forces in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, defence minister Margarita Robles said.
Shweta Sharma21 January 2022 09:45
Ukraine says Russia secretly recruiting mercenaries, weapons to eastern region
Ukraine’s military intelligence on Friday said Moscow has been actively recruiting mercenaries and sending weapons to the restive, separatist-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine.
In a statement, the country’s military intelligence agency said Russia was sending mercenaries for intensive training in the area.
It added that weapons including several tanks, artillery, mortars as well as fuel had been secretly taken to the area from Russia.
Service members attend a ceremony in tribute to fallen defenders of Ukraine in Kyiv
(via REUTERS)
Shweta Sharma21 January 2022 09:21
US-Russia to hold urgent talks in Geneva
Amid growing fears of Russia invading Ukraine, the US secretary of state and Russian foreign minister are set to hold urgent talks in Geneva on Friday.
Antony Blinken arrived in Geneva for talks with Russian minister Sergei Lavrov after a swing through Europe to shore up support from US allies for possible sanctions in case of a full-scale invasion.
Mr Blinken held discussions in Berlin with top diplomats of Britain, France and Germany and raised fears that Mr Putin could order an invasion imminently.
He suggested that the possible incursion will “drag us all back to a much more dangerous and unstable time, when this continent, and this city, were divided in two… with the threat of all-out war hanging over everyone’s heads”.
According to State Department officials, Mr Blinken will offer Mr Lavrov a “diplomatic off-ramp”.
Shweta Sharma21 January 2022 09:09
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine.
Shweta Sharma21 January 2022 08:45
