As tensions rise ahead of Friday’s crunch talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the Ukraine crisis, memories of the Russian army swiftly overpowering the Ukrainian military during the 2014 Crimean annexation have resurfaced. But Ukraine has significantly improved its defence capabilities – with more than a little help from NATO countries.
With US President Joe Biden on Thursday making it “absolutely clear” that any entry of Russian troops into Ukraine is “an invasion”, Washington has kept up the pressure, warning Moscow of a “severe” response.
Britain meanwhile added more concrete pressure this week when it announced that it was sending Ukraine military equipment, mostly short-range antitank missiles for self-defence.
Ukrainian authorities, for their part, are sounding increasingly urgent alarms since Russia deployed around 100,000 troops, according to US estimates, along its eastern border.
On Wednesday, Russia announced that it had moved troops to Belarus for what it called joint military exercises, giving it the option of attacking Ukraine from the north, east and south. Barely 24 hours later, the Russian defence ministry on Thursday said it would hold huge naval drills across four seas – the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Mediterranean – that includes the deployment of more 140 warships and supporting vessels.
Moscow continues to insist it has no plans to invade, but has stuck to a series of demands – including a ban on Ukraine joining NATO – in exchange for de-escalation.
The US meanwhile has given the greenlight for the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to rush US-made weapons to Ukraine, a source familiar with the authorisations told the AFP. Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas on Thursday confirmed that his country was sending defence and other aid to Ukraine in a…
Source : france24
