Ukraine crisis: Russia continues military drills, talks between Macron and Putin underway
By Team Newsable | First Published Feb 20, 2022, 7:36 PM ISTThe move further intensifies pressure on Ukraine as Western leaders and NATO warn of an imminent full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Amid increased fears that two days of sustained shelling along the contact line between soldiers and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine could spark an invasion, Russian military exercises in Belarus – originally scheduled to end on Sunday continued.
The exercises brought a sizable contingent of Russian forces to neighbouring Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north. The presence of the Russian troops raised concern that they could be used to sweep down on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
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Belarusian defence minister Viktor Khrenin said Russian troops will not withdraw from the country because of rising tensions in Ukraine’s disputed Donbas region and “in connection with the increase in military activity near the external borders” of Russia and Belarus.
The move further intensifies pressure on Ukraine as Western leaders and NATO warn of an imminent full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
Western leaders warned that Russia was poised to attack its neighbour, which is surrounded on three sides by about 150,000 Russian soldiers, warplanes and equipment. Russia held nuclear drills Saturday as well as the conventional exercises in Belarus and has ongoing naval drills off the coast in the Black Sea.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency, western countries repeatedly predicting dates for a Russian invasion of Ukraine is provocative and can have adverse consequences.
Peskov said Putin takes no notice of such statements, adding that Moscow appeals to Western partners’ reason.
On the other hand, A telephone conversation between French president Emmanuel Macron and Russia Putin about the situation in Ukraine got under way on Sunday as planned, the French presidential office said.
The call, described as part of a last-ditch effort to avert a Russian invasion of Ukraine, began at 11am (10:00 GMT).
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