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| US says Russia has added troops at border despite pullback claims; sat. photos released | |
| 2022-02-18 | |
| [The Hill] A senior Biden administration official said Wednesday that Russia has added as many as 7,000 troops at the border with Ukraine, characterizing claims by Moscow that it was withdrawing forces as "false." "We have now confirmed that in the last several days, Russia has increased its troop presence along the Ukrainian border by as many as 7,000 troops, with some arriving as recently as today," the official told reporters on a call Wednesday evening. "Every indication we have now is they mean only to publicly offer to talk and make claims about de-escalation while privately mobilizing for war," the official said, adding that the U.S. is receiving indications that Russia could launch a false pretext to justify an invasion of Ukraine "at any moment." The official said that a false pretext could take multiple forms, including a provocation in the Donbas region of Ukraine, a claim about NATO military activity, or an incursion into Russia’s own territory. The comments directly challenged Russian statements about pulling back some forces and being willing to engage in diplomacy over the past 24 hours. Satellite photos provide bird’s-eye view of unfolding Ukraine crisis
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| Posted by:Angaiper Ulavins1210 |