Russian Tensions
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Russia accused of troop build up on the Ukrainian border and using Belarus as a proxy pressure against the EU.
Gen Sir Nick Carter said Russia was now a greater threat in eastern Europe than it was when he started in the role eight years ago, as he gave a series of interviews before his departure as chief of the defence staff at the end of the month.
He said he “distinctly hoped” there would not be a war with Russia and he did not believe the country wanted a physical war, but Nato would have to be ready.
Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said last week that Russia had amassed nearly 100,000 of its soldiers near Ukraine’s border,
The Nato secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, has cautioned Moscow against “any further provocation or aggressive actions” following warnings by US officials that Russia could be preparing to a launch a Winter offensive in Ukraine.
“We have seen large and unusual concentrations of Russian forces close to Ukraine’s borders,” Stoltenberg said on Monday. “Nato remains vigilant … Any further provocation or aggressive actions by Russia would be of serious concern. We call on Russia to be transparent about its military activities.”
Stoltenberg said, “we need to be realistic about the challenges we face. And what we see is a significant, large Russian military buildup.”
Satellite imagery and videos uploaded to social media have shown tanks, artillery, and even short-range ballistic missiles on the move in the border regions of Ukraine and Belarus since late last month..new rail transports of military hardware have been spotted in southern Russia and from as far away as Russia’s Urals region, as well as on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
Russia last week also sent nuclear-capable bombers and paratroopers on training missions to Belarus’s western borders with Poland and Lithuania as Moscow and Minsk held joint exercises.
Lithuania’s foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, also suggested the Kremlin could be using the Belarus border crisis as a smokescreen to prepare an attack.
“It is very likely that Ukraine could be attacked while we are dealing with the situation on the Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian border,” he said.US has condemned Russia for conducting a “dangerous and irresponsible” missile test that it says endangered the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The test blew up one of Russia’s own satellites, creating debris that forced the ISS crew to shelter in capsules.
Johnson has warned that the west must soon choose between reliance on Russian gas and standing up for Ukraine amid continuing tensions on the borders of eastern Europe.
Ukraine held further military drills at its borders on Thursday as it warned of painful consequences should Russia invade.
The Ukrainian military carried out tank drills in the eastern Donetsk region, it said Thursday, after holding a “special operation” involving 8,500 extra troops, drone exercises and anti-tank and airborne units at its border with Belarus.
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-holds-military-drills-warns-russia-against-invasion/a-59936726
I struggle to believe Russia actually intends to conduct a full scale invasion of Ukraine. Their annexation of Crimea caused enough of a diplomatic shit storm to occupy the Kremlin for years, and that operation at least had a presence of deniability.
The question, then, is who are these sabre rattling manoeuvres actually targeting?
Can we separate it from the Belarus situation? Or that China and Russia are conducting joint naval exercises in the Far East?
Any flashpoint can ignite a conflict and can such a conflict be kept localised?
The latest is that Ukraine is claiming a Russian orchestrated coup
One theory is that by exaggerating a crisis, Ukraine will get more aid from the West but you can cry wolf only so many times.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday that his country is boosting combat readiness due to NATO activity near its borders.
“The tense military and political situation in the world and NATO’s increased activity near the Russian borders prompt the need to further develop the armed forces qualitatively”
“Any future Russian aggression against Ukraine would come at a high price and have serious political and economic consequences for Russia,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. “We need to be prepared for the worst and we need to convey a message to Russia that they should not conduct a military incursion into Ukraine,” he said, adding that alliance members could impose sanctions.
Ukraine is not a NATO member and not covered by the alliance’s mutual defense pact. Putin reiterated that NATO involvement in Ukraine was considered a “red line” for him.
https://www.dw.com/en/nato-warns-russia-against-ukraine-aggression/a-59980842
Blinken warned Russia of “serious consequences” if Moscow were to launch an incursion into Ukrainian territory.
“Any escalatory actions by Russia would be of great concern to the United States,” he said.
Meanwhile, acting German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Moscow would have to “pay a high price for any form of aggression.”
Latvia’s defense minister, Artis Pabriks, told DW he “shares the concerns” of the US and other NATO allies over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. Pabriks also expressed fears about other countries in the region as Russia continues to exert its authority over its neighbors. He said that Moscow “basically controls almost all activities within Belarus” as it seeks to strengthen its influence in the region.
Russia has plans to take “significant aggressive moves” against Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned…Biden’s administration had made it clear to Russia that should it “follow the path of confrontation” with Ukraine, the US “will respond resolutely, including with a range of high-impact economic measures that we have refrained from pursuing in the past”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that Europe could be returning to what he called the “nightmare of military confrontation”.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59503762
Lavrov said Nato was refusing to constructively consider proposals to de-escalate tensions and prevent dangerous incidents.
U.S. intelligence officials determined that Russian planning is underway for a possible military offensive that could begin as soon as early 2022.
The new intelligence finding estimates that the Russians are planning to deploy an estimated 175,000 troops and almost half of them are already deployed. The plans call for the movement of 100 Russian battalion tactical groups along with armor, artillery and equipment.
Putin would seek binding guarantees precluding NATO’s expansion to Ukraine during the call with Biden.
But Biden sought to head off the demand. “I don’t accept anyone’s red line,” Biden said.
Sputnik has denied the news that Russia is planing to invade Ucrania
I could have equally posted this on the Chinese Tensions thread.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/japans-military-among-worlds-strongest-040942135.html
Japan is ranked fifth globally in overall military power after the United States, Russia, China and India, and its defense budget ranked sixth in the 2021 ranking of 140 countries.
Japan has more than 900 warplanes, 48 destroyers, including eight Aegis missile-combating systems, and 20 submarines. That exceeds Britain, Germany and Italy. Japan is also buying 147 F-35s, including 42 F-35Bs, making it the largest user of American stealth fighters outside of the United States, where 353 are to be deployed.
Because of a relative decline of America’s global influence, Japan has expanded military partnerships and joint exercises beyond its alliance with the United States, including with Australia, Canada, Britain, France and other European countries, as well as in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Japan also cooperates with NATO.
U.S. and NATO play with fire in their latest anti-Russia campaign
This is the opinion of a Stalinist group taking side with inter imperialists conflicts, as always using the so called fascists threat when capitalism is the real threat
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