Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has warned Russia against increasing military activity along their shared border, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin “will pay dearly for a new attack on Ukraine.”
“We are working to give him (Putin) a clear understanding—a new attack on Ukraine will be too costly, so it is better not to do it,” Kuleba said at a press conference on Thursday. “We are not trying to guess what is in Putin’s head,” he added. The top diplomat further said, “Moscow must clearly understand what political, economic and human losses it will incur in the event of a new stage of aggression.”
Kuleba emphasised that Kyiv’s primary objective is to restrict Russia from “further aggressive actions.”
The remarks come in light of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry lodging a “strong protest” over “continuing illegal practice of sending the so-called (humanitarian convoys) into the territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation” in occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk.
On Wednesday, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported an escalation of combat activity across the border with Russia, observing nine ceasefire violations by Russian troops, with two of them involving weapons banned by the Minsk agreements.
Russia and Ukraine also staged separate military drills in the Black Sea. Interfax reported that the exercise included “Russian fighter planes and ships practising repelling air attacks on naval bases and responding with airstrikes.” Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, however, has justified such exercises and its growing presence at the border by pointing to increased North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) activity in the region.
Despite Moscow’s continued rejection of claims over the possible invasion of Ukraine, the number of Russian troops at the border with Ukraine continue to increase. The Military Times mentioned that according to the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, more than 92,000 Russian troops have gathered around Ukraine’s borders in preparation for an attack by the end of January or the beginning of February.
On Wednesday, the US Embassy in Ukraine issued a security alert, warning American citizens of “unusual Russian military activity near Ukraine’s borders and in occupied Crimea.”
On the same day, Washington reiterated its commitment to Kyiv in a statement, saying US President Joe Biden “reaffirms [the US’] commitment to the people of Ukraine today and our unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
The Kremlin said President Putin raised concerns over “provocations” to escalate tensions in eastern Ukraine during a call with European Council President Charles Michel. Earlier on Sunday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov slammed Washington for driving “hysteria” over the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine.
Kyiv cut ties with Moscow after Russian-backed separatists took control of territory in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Since then, 14,000 people have been killed in the fighting.
The current Russian troop build-up at the borders is the highest since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Ukraine Warns Putin That an Attack Will Be “Too Costly” Amid Russian Troop Build-Up
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has issued a stern warning to Moscow as ceasefire violations increase along the border.
November 26, 2021
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba IMAGE SOURCE: UNIAN