Ukraine celebrates a “Day of Unity” on Wednesday in the face of the threat of Russian invasionat a time when the partial withdrawal of Moscow’s troops from the border fuels hope for a peaceful resolution of this crisis.
(Read: Why does NATO say that it does not see de-escalation of Russia in Ukraine?)
The deployment of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine had been classified by the United States as a risk of an imminent invasion and is considered the worst security crisis in Europe since World War II.
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The celebration of this “Day of Unity” was decreed days ago by the president of Ukraine, Volodímir Zelenski, who based on the presumed date of an invasion of Russiainvited invited citizens to hoist the national flags or to wear the yellow and blue patriotic colors. and cry out for peace, in an act that had important repercussions and scope in its exercise.
His government tries to calm tensions and rejects “the panic” caused by rumors and invasion alerts. The president will attend military maneuvers this Wednesday morning in the Rivné region, in the west.
It will also go to Mariupol, the last city in the east that is under government control and that is considered one of the territories under threat in case of an invasion, since it is about 20 kilometers from where the pro-Russian separatists who maintain a armed conflict.
Likewise, diplomatic maneuvers by Americans and Europeans have been taking place for days to calm fears of an invasion, after the alarms went off after Russia mobilized tens of thousands of soldiers on the border with Ukraine, also launching military exercises.
On Wednesday, Russia continued to lower tensions by announcing the end of the maneuvers and the withdrawal of soldiers from Crimea, the peninsula annexed to Ukraine. Following this, this Tuesday the Kremlin already reported the withdrawal of some troops. The Russian Defense Ministry published a video showing a withdrawal of troops and the military arsenal on a night train linking Crimea with Russia.
But NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg responded by stating that “for now” there are no concrete signs of a de-escalation despite statements by those responsible in Moscow.
“We have not seen any de-escalation on the ground for now. On the contrary, it seems that Russia continues to reinforce its military presence,” Stoltenberg said at the start of the Alliance Defense Ministers’ meeting in Brussels.
Russia mocks ‘Unity Day’
The night passed like any other. We have slept peacefully. In the morning we started our day in a calm and professional way.
Russian authorities and public media on Wednesday mocked the alleged “invasion date” of Ukraine launched by Western countries, which they estimated would take place on February 16.
“I ask the American and British disinformation media to announce the schedule of our ‘invasions’ for next year because I would like to organize my vacation,” she said ironically, in Telegram Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the past week, Anglo-Saxon media published informationwithout citing his sources in US intelligence, about an invasion of Ukraine that would begin on February 16. There were Anglo-Saxon newspapers that even gave details about the specific hours: in the middle of the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.
(Do not miss: Russia and Ukraine: follow the possible invasion in Europe live)
“I will not say that all this amuses usbut it does leave us totally perplexed,” added Foreign Minister Sergueï Lavrov. Western countries have been warning for weeks of the risk of an invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has deployed tens of thousands of soldiers along the border and has various military maneuvers.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from AFP
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