On Thursday, Bloomberg reported that US officials have warned European allies that Russia may be weighing a potential invasion of Ukraine, but the US provided no information on how it reached its conclusion.
The report cited unnamed people “familiar with the matter” and made it clear the US did not have information to back up its claim. “The assessments are believed to be based on information the US hasn’t yet shared with European governments,” the report reads.
Tensions are high in the region over an increase in US and NATO activity in the Black Sea and a migrant crisis in Belarus that the EU says is manufactured. The US has also been hyping up the movement of Russian troops inside Russia, portraying it as a build-up near Ukraine.
Kyiv initially denied the reported Russian build-up but later changed its tune to align with the Biden administration. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Wednesday and delivered a warning to Russia.
“The message we’re sending today, that I repeated to Dmytro, is that our commitment to Ukraine sovereignty — to its independence, to its territorial integrity, is ironclad,” Blinken said.
In recent weeks, the US has deployed warships and bombers into the Black Sea. In October, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine and delivered the message that the door for Ukraine to potentially join NATO is still open.
Liars!
If the US pushes too hard they may well do as would the US had Russia initiated a coup in Mexico.
LOL!!
Self fulfilling prophecy.
Why would Russia invade a broken country like the ukraine. They’ll be more than happy to let Amerika and the EU support it.
Not an expert in these matters, but have read different viewpoints on this subject.
1. Many former Soviet citizens are convinced the breakup was botched and countries left the union before legitimate, long lasting border disputes could be settled. Example would be Armenia and Azerbaijan.
2. Another example would be Ukraine. Some experts believe Ukraine is currently a chimera and those two cultures do not belong in a single country. I have read before that while most people in the world consider Ukrainians and Russians nearly indistinguishable, THEY DO NOT. For whatever reason, there is deep-seated animosity between the two. The “Ukrainians” in eastern Ukraine really see themselves as Russians and the western Ukrainians agree. Because of this, the western Ukrainians oppress and persecute the eastern (Russian) “Ukrainians”.
3. Many high level Russians, including Putin, firmly believe eastern Ukraine should have almost complete autonomy, if not outright independence. This is why Russia supports the Ukrainian secessionists.
4. Russia WILL NOT let NATO station anymore troops on its border. This is why Russia intervened in the US sponsored Ukrainian coup and prevented the failed Belarusian coup recently. Putin and Lavrov have repeatedly warned NATO that any attempts to make Ukraine an official member will force Russia to invade and topple current puppet regime. They are not bluffing.
5. Russia desperately needs a land bridge to Crimea. The current situation is tenuous and not fully satisfactory. There are massive water and transportation problems facing Crimea since it is currently an exclave.
So, if the US and NATO force the issue, then Russia WILL defend eastern Ukraine and possibly allow full independence of the Donbass republics. There would be costs to Russia, but some important benefits. This would provide Russia with friendly buffer nations on that border, prevent a massacre of Russian speaking peoples, and possibly provide a land bridge to Crimea.
From the Bloomberg article:
“Similar tensions erupted in the spring when the U.S. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization accused Russia of massing as many as 100,000 troops, tanks and warplanes near the border with Ukraine.”
Sure. Out of the blue Russia decides to amass troops near the border with Ukraine. No mention of the daily war games NATO was doing that precipitated Russia’s actions.
“Ironclad commitment”, eh? Sort of like we’ll sell you a bunch of weapons and watch as your guys get slaughtered if Russia actually decides to do something?
So US makes shit up and and tries to convince others of a non risk.
Why should Russia invade Ukraine ? The civil war in Ukraine has more or less been settled to Russia’s satisfaction by those areas favoring Russia separating from Kiev. Russia has refused to get involved further. Ukraine has the problem of supporting itself separate from Russia – the West only wants to use Ukraine – not actually support it. Hard to be a corrupt entity looking for a Daddy.
The US might invade Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq.
I doubt the Russians will risk ground and tank forces due to indigenous Russian citizens and other concerns.
They’re focused on US nuclear batteries throughout Ukraine and select target around Kiev. Russia may launch nuclear missiles at Ukrainian targets near Crimea, but I’ve been wrong before.
Amid the rumblings, I sense that the migrants return to Ukraine from Belarus has a stronger case.