Russia kicked off the active phase of military exercises in Belarus on Thursday as Britain launched a new diplomatic offensive over the Ukraine standoff, warning Moscow that going to war with its neighbor would be disastrous for Russia, Ukraine and Europe. .
US officials have warned that Russia could attack Ukraine after gathering troops near its borders and have accused Moscow of further heightening tensions by holding joint military exercises in Belarus with the Western military alliance North Atlantic Treaty Organization. (NATO) says it is Russia’s biggest deployment to the country since the Cold War.
Russia denies planning an attack and says it has the right to move its troops as it sees fit on its own territory and that of its allies with their agreement. It also claims that its military exercises are defensive in nature.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week that Russia is expected to have 30,000 troops in Belarus, as well as Spetsnaz special operations forces, SU-35 fighter jets, S-400 air defense systems and nuclear-capable Iskander missiles. .
Mirroring the military exercises in Belarus, Ukraine launched its own war games on Thursday that, like Russia’s Allied Resolve exercises, will run until February 20.
Ukrainian forces, whose numbers were not released, are expected to use Bayraktar drones and Javelin and NLAW anti-tank missiles provided by foreign partners. Kiev would receive another shipment of US military aid later on Thursday.
In talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Moscow against an attack on Ukraine.
“Fundamentally, a war in Ukraine would be disastrous for the Russian and Ukrainian people and for European security, and together NATO made it clear that any incursion into Ukraine would have huge consequences and severe costs,” she said.
Lavrov said Moscow was open to improving the turbulent relations between the UK and Russia.
“Of course, we can only normalize relations through mutually respectful dialogues… Ideological approaches, ultimatums, threats, lectures on morality are a path to nowhere,” he declared.
The UK also hoped to use a visit to NATO headquarters by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to underscore European solidarity as Moscow seeks reassurance that Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, will never be allowed to join NATO.
Source: CNN Brasil
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