Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told CNN that there will be a “really bloody massacre” if Russia decides to invade Ukraine, and warned that “the Russians will also come back in coffins”.
The statement was aired on Tuesday (7), with the proximity of a meeting between Biden and Putin, who should have the movement of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border as the big issue.
Reznikov urged US President Joe Biden to stand firm against Moscow.
“If I can advise President Biden, I would like him to tell Putin that no Kremlin army line should be here,” he said. “The civilized world will react without hesitation,” Reznikov told CNN in an exclusive interview on Monday (6).
“The idea of not provoking Russia will not work,” he added.
American and Western officials have expressed concern about the increase in Russian forces on the Ukrainian border, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying last week that the US “must prepare for all contingencies”.
Russia has the capacity installed along the Ukrainian border to carry out a swift and immediate invasion.
The country led by Vladimir Putin still has the possibility of building supply lines and deploying medical units that could sustain a prolonged conflict should Moscow decide to invade, two sources familiar with US intelligence assessments told CNN.
Reznikov says to CNN that Ukraine assesses that Russia currently has 95,000 troops within striking distance of Ukraine.
He also added that due to the strength of Ukrainian units, current US estimates that Russia could muster 175,000 troops to invade Ukraine were underestimated.
“So we have 250,000 officers… members of our army. Furthermore, I said 400,000 veterans and 200,000 reservists,” the Ukrainian Defense Minister said, adding that “175,000 is not enough” for Russia to risk a successful invasion.
Reznikov emphasized that a Russian invasion – if it happened – would have “disastrous” consequences for the entire European continent, with an estimated 4 to 5 million Ukrainians possibly needing to seek refuge in Europe.
Reznikov also stressed that Ukraine is a major supplier of food to Europe and Africa, whose supplies, he said, would be interrupted.
The minister said that the Ukrainian army had sent a request for help for more military equipment to its allies, including material support and training for its Air Force and Navy.
“We don’t need troops because I don’t think it’s fair for American soldiers to die in Ukraine. No, we don’t need that,” added Reznikov.
Ukraine has warned for weeks that Russia is trying to destabilize the country ahead of any planned military invasion, with NATO pointing out that Russian moves near the border have been unusual. Western powers have repeatedly urged Russia against further aggressive moves against Ukraine.
The Kremlin denies it is planning an attack and argues that NATO support for Ukraine – including increased arms supplies and military training – poses a growing threat on Russia’s western flank.
On the Kremlin’s motives, Reznikov told the CNN who believes that Russia’s main intention is to spread fear and unrest in Ukraine, and to prevent that country from moving closer to membership in NATO and the European Union.
The Kremlin is demanding a legal commitment that NATO will not expand eastward to include Ukraine and that NATO military infrastructure, such as missile systems, will not be built in the country.
“If we share or spread panic in our country and within our society, it will be a gift to the Kremlin because they are trying to do that, a destabilization process within our country to stop us from going our way,” he said.
Reznikov added, “We are going to ally with NATO, we are going to the European Union”, he concluded.
(Translated text. Read the original here.)
Reference: CNN Brasil
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