A day after Russia claimed it was removing troops from its border with Ukraine, the U.S. and NATO said they’ve seen no evidence of a meaningful withdrawal.
“Unfortunately there’s a difference between what Russia says and what it does,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told ABC News, noting that “what we’re seeing is no meaningful pullback.”
“On the contrary,” Blinken said “we continue to see forces, especially forces in the vanguard of any renewed aggression against Ukraine, continuing to be at the border, to mass at the border.”
Blinken said “President Putin’s put in place the capacity to act on very short notice,” adding “he can pull the trigger — he could pull it today. He could pull it tomorrow. He could pull it next week. The forces are there if he wants to renew aggression against Ukraine.”
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, echoed that sentiment, saying Russia remains poised to initiate “a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine without any warning time.”
Despite the international skepticism, Russia insists it continues to draw down troops. The New York Times reports:
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced more troop withdrawals, saying that a train loaded with Russian tanks, armored vehicles, and howitzers left Crimea and would return to their bases after concluding military exercises. A video from the ministry showed a train loaded with armored vehicles crossing into mainland Russia from Crimea, traveling across a vast bridge built to link Crimea and Russia after it annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
Ruslan Leviev, a researcher who follows Russian troop movements, said that the military equipment that left Crimea could be redeployed at bases near Ukraine’s east.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has worked to buoy spirits in his country, declaring Wednesday a “Day of National Unity.”
The Associated Press shares details:
“We are united by a desire to happily live in peace,” Zelenskyy said in an address to the nation. “We can defend our home only if we stay united.”
Across the country, Ukrainians of all ages waved flags in the streets and from apartment windows.
Hundreds unfolded a 200-meter (650-foot) flag at Kyiv’s Olimpiyskiy Stadium, while another was draped in the center of a shopping mall in the capital.
In the government-controlled part of Ukraine’s eastern region of Luhansk, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian troops since 2014, residents stretched another huge flag across a street.
“This event, this number of people united around Ukrainian flag will show that we stand for united Ukraine,” said resident Olena Tkachova.
The outlet adds:
On Wednesday, Russian fighter jets flew training missions over neighboring Belarus and paratroopers held shooting drills at firing ranges there as part of massive war games that the West feared could be used as cover for an invasion of Ukraine. Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei reaffirmed that all Russian troops and weapons will leave the country when the maneuvers end Sunday.
Russia has mocked Western warnings about an imminent invasion as “paranoia” and “madness.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed sarcastically at warnings of Wednesday’s invasion, saying that Russian officials had a good sleep.
Asked by German daily Welt if Russia was going to attack Wednesday, Russia’s ambassador to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov quipped: “Wars in Europe rarely start on a Wednesday.”
