>The EU has expressed concern over reports of Russian troop movements near the Russian-Ukrainian border. “We continue to monitor the situation and the information we have gathered so far is rather worrying,” EU External Action Service spokesman Peter Stano said Friday in Brussels. Working with partners such as the U.S. and the U.K., “we are ready to consider further steps if necessary,” he said.
The U.S. had demanded clarification from Moscow on Thursday about “unusual” army activity in the border area with Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Russia of a “grave mistake” and reiterated U.S. support for Ukraine’s “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
The Ukrainian army has been fighting pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The West accuses Russia of supporting the separatists, which the government in Moscow denies.
In March, Russia massed thousands of troops, heavy military equipment, naval vessels and air force aircraft near the Ukrainian border and in the region of the annexed Crimean Peninsula in a massive troop deployment.The troop movements sparked international concern and fueled fears of a Russian incursion into Ukraine. After weeks, Moscow finally declared the alleged maneuver over and withdrew its soldiers.
The Kremlin had justified the exercise by saying that the defense readiness of the armed forces is traditionally reviewed in the spring. However, according to Western experts, the military buildup was stronger than at any time since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea.
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>The EU has expressed concern over reports of Russian troop movements near the Russian-Ukrainian border. “We continue to monitor the situation and the information we have gathered so far is rather worrying,” EU External Action Service spokesman Peter Stano said Friday in Brussels. Working with partners such as the U.S. and the U.K., “we are ready to consider further steps if necessary,” he said.
The U.S. had demanded clarification from Moscow on Thursday about “unusual” army activity in the border area with Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Russia of a “grave mistake” and reiterated U.S. support for Ukraine’s “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
The Ukrainian army has been fighting pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The West accuses Russia of supporting the separatists, which the government in Moscow denies.
In March, Russia massed thousands of troops, heavy military equipment, naval vessels and air force aircraft near the Ukrainian border and in the region of the annexed Crimean Peninsula in a massive troop deployment.The troop movements sparked international concern and fueled fears of a Russian incursion into Ukraine. After weeks, Moscow finally declared the alleged maneuver over and withdrew its soldiers.
The Kremlin had justified the exercise by saying that the defense readiness of the armed forces is traditionally reviewed in the spring. However, according to Western experts, the military buildup was stronger than at any time since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea.