Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ukrainian military report says 120,000 Russian troops near border

Ukrainian military report says 120,000 Russian troops near border

Ukrainian defense officials say Russia has increased troop numbers near the Ukrainian border to 120,000 people, including additional army, air force and naval personnel.
According to its latest ongoing security assessment -- shared with CNN by Ukrainian security sources -- the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said "combat and other military equipment, such as tanks, armed vehicles and 'Iskander' missiles remain near the border of Ukraine," following numerous Russian military exercises.

Russia regularly "redeploys and accumulates its military units to maintain tension in the region," the assessment said, allowing it to "create striking forces rapidly, and lays the ground for quick reinforcement."

Months of steady military increases along the Russia-Ukraine frontier have alarmed Ukrainian and Western officials. CNN reported last week that Russian forces had capabilities in place along the Ukrainian border to carry out a swift and immediate invasion, including erecting supply lines such as medical units and fuel that could sustain a drawn-out conflict.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the suggestion that Russia would invade Ukraine as "provocative."

"Russia is pursuing a peaceful foreign policy. But it has the right to ensure its safety," he said during a televised news conference on Wednesday, emphasizing the Kremlin's concern at the prospect of Ukraine one day joining NATO.

In a virtual meeting Tuesday that turned tense at times, US President Joe Biden warned Putin about invading Ukraine, and Washington is preparing a series of harsh economic sanctions in the event that Russian forces do attack.

Biden ended the conversation without any further clarity on whether Putin had made up his mind to launch an invasion, US officials said afterward.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Monday said the build-up of Russian troops was an attempt to spread fear and unrest in Ukraine, and to prevent Kiev from moving closer toward NATO and membership of the European Union.

"This gathering of their troops alongside of our border, it's a main goal of them to make destabilization process inside of our country, to stop us in our way.

But we go into the NATO ally, we're going to EU," Reznikov told CNN.

According to the latest Ukrainian assessment, Russia is also stepping up operations from the neighboring country of Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north. The report said some units of the Russian army remain near the Russian border with Belarus "at the distance of around 260 km (160 miles) from the state border of Ukraine."

Russia has also intensified its intelligence gathering on Ukraine, the report added, with the number of reconnaissance aircraft flights along the Ukrainian border, above the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, tripling since the same period last year.

Biden on Wednesday ruled out sending US troops to defend Ukraine in case of a military escalation, though the United States will send small arms and ammunition to Ukrainian defense forces this week as part of a $60 million security assistance package approved earlier this year, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to speak with Biden on Thursday.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
×