Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, stated that there are almost 100,000 Russian soldiers close to Ukraine’s borders. This has prompted fears that Russia might be trying to take over parts of Ukraine.
Zelenskiy said Western countries had shared information about active Russian troop movements with Kyiv, with the Ukrainian defence ministry placing the number of Russian troops moving near Ukraine at around 90,000 earlier this month despite warnings from the US.
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President (pictured), has stated there are close to 100,000 Russian soldiers at Ukraine’s frontier
Zelenskiy spoke earlier this week, stating that the entire world should now see who wants peace and who wants to concentrate nearly 100,000 soldiers on our borders.
This comes as tensions rise in Europe Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has been urged to step in for the’shameful’ manufactured migration crisis at the Belarus-Poland border. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss asked.
Liz Truss today declared that Russia has a ‘clear responsibility’ to end the escalating migrant stand-off, adding the UK ‘will not look away’ as a large number of migrants gather on the Belarusian side of the border, with Polish authorities reporting daily new attempts by the migrants to breach the divide.
Belarusian defense minister has charged Poland with an unprecedented military buildup along the border. They claimed that the lack of migration control meant 15,000 troops were not necessary to be accompanied by tanks and air defense assets.
Alexander Lukashenko was accused by the European Union of encouraging illegal border crossings to counter sanctions imposed on him government by the bloc for cracking down on protests in Belarus following his 2020 election.
Belarus refutes the claims, but it says that it won’t stop migrants and refugees from entering the EU.
Maxar Technologies released this handout satellite photo showing an image of support equipment and armoured units amid large ground forces deployed on the north edge of Yelnya (Smolensk Oblast), Russia. Reports of Russian soldiers advancing on Ukraine’s borders have the Pentagon closely monitoring it.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (R) has urged Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (L) to intervene in the ‘shameful manufactured migrant crisis’ unfolding at the border between Belarus and Poland
The border of Belarus and Poland is near Grodno (Belarus). Many migrants have set up camp at the Belarusian border. Polish officials report daily efforts by migrants to break the line.
Fears of an attack have been raised by Russian troops near Ukraine’s border, following Russia’s 2014 annexed Crimea. This move was widely condemned and condemned worldwide.
Moscow dismissed these suggestions and complained about NATO’s increased activity in the area. However, US company Maxar Technologies released satellite images that showed thousands of Russian troops and armoured units massing near Ukrainian and Belarusian borders.
Antony Blinken (US Secretary of State) stated that he is concerned by the “unusual Russian activities”. He also declared that his commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty is strong and will not allow Russia to change its tactics.
British Army General Nick Carter stated this morning on SkyNews that Russia does not want to provoke a civil war. However, they will use every tool of national power available to them to reach their ends.
Meanwhile, the Polish Border Force has reported that Belarusian soldiers engineered two mass migrant incursions into Poland last night near the towns of Dubicze Cerkiewne and Kolonia Klulowicze, away from the main focus Poland’s defences.
The Border Force held 77 persons and sent them back to Belarus. An estimated 150 people escaped capture and seek sanctuary in the EU.
A Border Force spokesman told MailOnline: ‘Last night there were two attempts to cross the border from Belarus by force, at Dubicze Cerkiewne and Kolonia Klukowicze.
‘Yesterday we recorded 223 attempts to illegally cross the border from Belarus.
‘Deportation from the Republic of Poland orders were issued against 77 people.’
A spokesperson could not provide any explanations for the actions of the remaining 146 people who illegally crossed into Poland.
US-based Maxar Technologies released satellite images earlier in the month showing thousands of Russian troops and armoured units positioned near Ukrainian and Belarusian borders.
British Army General Nick Carter stated this morning on SkyNews that Russia does not want to provoke a civil war. However, they will use every tool of national power available to them to reach their ends.
Tensions at the border grew further after Russian paratroopers arrived on the Belarusian side. Poland was forced to deploy a 15,000-strong battalion (pictured), to ensure the integrity and security of its checkpoints.
Ms Truss urged the Kremlin not to interfere in the crisis. She wrote in The Sunday Telegraph that Russia has an obvious responsibility. It should press Belarusian authorities for an end to the crisis and engage in dialogue.
Russia and Belarus signed a Union Agreement that envisages close military and political ties.
Truss stated that this stand-off “marks the latest step of the Lukashenko Regime to undermine regional security.”
She said that he was using desperate migrants as his pawns to try to inflict instability on the country and hold onto power at all costs.
The United Kingdom is not going to look back. We stand alongside our regional allies, who are right at the border of freedom.
These comments were made after a small British contingent was sent to Poland as tension increased at the border.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), a small team was sent to the region to offer ‘engineering support.
Alexander Lukashenko was the authoritarian president in Belarus for most of the 27 years he served. He has defied democratic norms and made Belarus a pariah to the West. His actions earned him the title of Europe’s last dictator.
According to Polish Defence Ministry footage released on November 13, 2021, it shows Belarusian forces near Kuznica border crossing
Tensions at border escalated after Russian paratroopers were deployed to the Belarusian border. This prompted Poland to send a 15,000-strong battalion in support of their integrity.
Lukashenko, meanwhile, has continued to stir the fire by calling on Russia as an ally to reposition nuclear-capable ballistic missiles in order to menace the EU bloc.
Lukashenko said yesterday to a Russian journalist, “I have been harassing your president: I need these 500km-range missile system.”
Poland also accuses Belarusian security forces of using tear gas and flash lights on migrants, encouraging them to break through barricades and encourage them to do so.
Many see the crisis at the Polish/Belarusian border as Lukashenko’s attempt to inundate the EU with migrants as a retaliation for their criticism of his disputed presidency.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) is often seen as aiding his Belarusian ally President Alexander Lukashenko (right). This has caused the migration crisis that forced Poland and Latvia to declare a State of Emergency in their border areas to stop illegal crossers.
The government of his country forced him to divert an aircraft flying between Greece, Lithuania and other countries. It was carrying a political rival earlier in the year.
Belarus quickly responded to this by relaxing its border controls for migrants coming from Africa and Middle East. It allowed them to travel to the EU border and forced Poland, Latvia and Lithuania into declaring a state emergency to stop any illegal crossings.
Lukaschenko also threatened to stop natural gas transit Belarus from Russia, a move that could be a serious blow to Europe in the winter.
Lukashenko’s dramatic moves mark a significant escalation in power. He was president of Belarus when it was an unknown country with a history that lasted less than three decades.
His disdain for democratic norms and the country´s dismal human rights record has made Belarus a pariah in the West, earning him the title of ‘Europe´s last dictator.’