The crisis in Ukraine is escalating, with the US and the West believing that Russia will not back down. In fact, Joe Biden stated that in the coming days Russian forces will target Kiev, in his extraordinary sermon by the White House.
The OSCE sees a “spectacular increase” in ceasefire violations
Observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) say note “dramatic increase” in violations of the ceasefire agreement in eastern Ukrainewhere pro-Russian separatists and government troops have been fighting since 2014.
They recorded a “spectacular increase” in hostilities along the front line, the OSCE said in a statement, estimating that the level of violence has now returned to where it was before the July 2020 agreement to consolidate the ceasefire.
He talked about 222 ceasefire violations on the front line in the Donetsk regioncontrolled by pro-Russian separatists, including 135 “explosions”, compared to 189 on Wednesday and 24 on Tuesday.
In Lugansk regionwhich are also controlled by pro-Russian separatists, the Organization spoke of 648 violations, including 519 “explosions”, compared to 402 on Wednesday and 129 on Tuesday.
The OSCE “calls members to strictly abide by all the commitments they have made and to take all necessary measures to reduce tensions“To work for immediate de-escalation for the benefit of innocent civilians on both sides of the front line who continue to suffer as a result of this conflict,” the statement added.
The organization, which includes both Russia and the United States, deployed an observer mission to Ukraine in 2014, following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula by Moscow and the outbreak of war between pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian army in eastern Ukraine. area also known as Donbass. The war has claimed the lives of more than 14,000 people, according to authorities in Kiev.
Pentagon: Half of Russia’s forces have launched an offensive
Over 40% of Russian forces concentrated on its borders Of Ukraine has now taken a position of attack, said a spokesman for the US Pentagonadding that the phase of destabilization of the country by Russia It has begun”.
The USAwhich estimate that Russian troops deployed north, south and east of Of Ukraine more than 150,000 have been watching troop movements to the border since Wednesday (16/2), a Pentagon official said.
“40 to 50%” of these troops have received place for attack. “It is developing in points of regular concentration during the last 48 hours”, he stated while maintaining his anonymity, according to the ΑΠΕ ΜΠΕ.
The term “tactical assembly points” refers to areas near front lines where military units go before firing attack.
According to the US Department of Defense official, the Moscow has now deployed 125 Army battalions near the Ukrainian border, up from 60 under normal conditions and 80 deployed in early February.
The escalation of the clashes between the pro-Russian separatists and the Ukrainian forces and the inflammatory statements of the pro-Russian leaders and the Kremlin on the situation in Russian-speaking regions Donetsk and Lugansk are part of the “ongoing destabilization campaign in Ukraine”, the official insisted.
“Putin is not bluffing”
The US Secretary of Defense, General e.a. Lloyd Austinhe said on the television network ABC that the Russian president Vladimir Putin has now gathered the data “required for a successful invasion” in Ukraine.
“I do not think he is bluffing,” he said in an interview with the television network. “He has a number of options at his disposal and he could attack in a short time,” he added, while still in Polandwhere he met with American and Polish soldiers.
THE Washington warns for weeks that the Moscow seeks some pretext at the border to invade Ukraine.
In fact, his observers Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) announced today (19/2) that they find a “spectacular increase” in violations of the ceasefire agreement in the east Ukrainewhere pro-Russian separatists and government troops have been fighting since 2014.
They recorded a “spectacular increase” in hostilities along the front line, he said in a statement. OSCEestimating that the level of violence has now returned to where it was before the July 2020 agreement for the consolidation of the ceasefire.
THE Russiafor its part, denies that it has such an intention and demands guarantees for its security, in particular the withdrawal of its forces NATO from the east Europe, claims rejected by Westerners. THE Moscowin addition to its support for the separatists, has annexed part of it Of Ukraineits peninsula Crimeain 2014.
Lugansk is being evacuated
About 25,000 people left the self-proclaimed Luhansk Democratic Republic by own means, while about 10,000 will leave by organized motorcades, he said Gevgeny KatshavalovMinister of Emergency Situations of the authorities of the pro-Russian separatists, broadcasts the Russian news agency TASS.
“About 25,000 people crossed the border (including Russia) in their own cars,” the official said, adding that “a convoy is being formed to evacuate about 10,000 people” by bus.
Pro-Russian separatists announced yesterday (18/2) that they are removing civilians from the war-torn areas of the eastern Of Ukraine. THE West sees in the unexpected development the pretext that Russia is looking for to invade the neighboring country.
Source: News Beast
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