Friday 24 December 2021
Planned military exercises on the border
Russian film published via satellite in Crimea
New satellite images from the USA show the concentration of Russian forces in Crimea and western Russia. With a military maneuver near the Ukrainian border, Moscow should provide additional explosives in Christmas week.
According to an American company specializing in satellite imagery, Russia has reinforced its forces on the eastern borders of Ukraine and in the Crimea in recent weeks. Satellite images from December 13 and published by the American company Maxar Technologies on Thursday evening show, among other things, a military base in the Crimea, which is almost completely occupied with hundreds of tanks and other armed vehicles. In a Maxar satellite image taken in October, the same base was half empty.
According to the company, it is an additional unit that was transferred to the peninsula annexed by Russia. Satellite images show increased Russian military activity in three locations in Crimea and five locations in western Russia. Reuters was not initially able to independently verify the authenticity of the images.
A security guarantee from NATO is required
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, defended the months-long troop movements. Pesco emphasized that the background is unfriendly activities by NATO, the United States of America and several European countries. Russia has repeatedly demanded security guarantees from the USA and NATO, such as an explicit waiver of Ukraine’s admission to the military alliance. However, in the West, concerns are growing about the concentration of Russian forces near the border. Ukraine fears an attack by the Russian army.
Just the day before, Russia announced a military exercise that would provide new explosives: Hundreds of paratroopers are expected to conduct exercises near the Ukrainian border this week, Interfax news agency reported Thursday, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. The maneuver should take place in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and the neighboring Krasnodar Territory. About 1,200 soldiers will participate in more than 250 military vehicles and aircraft. The goal is to practice taking over an area as part of an offensive mission. It is said that Russia, which supports pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, has amassed about 100,000 soldiers in the border area.
