{"id":488314,"date":"2022-02-17T12:15:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T10:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uatv.ua\/?p=488314"},"modified":"2022-02-17T11:13:18","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T09:13:18","slug":"kremlin-might-drag-out-escalation-with-ukraine-for-months-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uatv.ua\/en\/kremlin-might-drag-out-escalation-with-ukraine-for-months-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"Kremlin might drag out escalation with Ukraine for months, – UK"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On the eve of her two-day trip to Ukraine, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs Liz Truss cautioned against being lulled into a false sense of security by Russian claims that it is withdrawing its troops. She stated this in her commentary for The Telegraph <\/a>on the eve of her two-day trip to Kyiv. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign Secretary noted that he \u201clitmus test\u201d for NATO and \u201cfree democracies\u201d to stand up to Russian aggression or risk emboldening the Kremlin and other adversaries in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We must not be lulled into a false sense of security by Russia claiming that some troops are returning to their barracks, while in fact, Russian military build-up shows no signs of slowing,\u201d <\/em>Truss noted. \u201cThere is currently no evidence the Russians are withdrawing from border regions near Ukraine,\u201d <\/em>she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We must have no illusions that Russia could drag this out much longer in a brazen ploy to spend weeks more \u2013 if not months \u2013 subverting Ukraine and challenging Western unity. This is a test of our mettle,” <\/em>Truss stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the latest data, about 140,000 Russian troops are concentrated at the borders of Ukraine. Ukraine\u2019s Ministry of Defense does not record the real withdrawal of Russian troops, as claimed by the Kremlin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read also: <\/strong>140,000 Russian troops amassed at Ukraine\u2019s borders, no signs of stand-down, \u2013 latest data from Kyiv<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 16, Russia\u2019s defence ministry published footage of what it said were tanks, armored personnel carriers, and mobile artillery leaving the Crimean peninsula \u2014 which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 \u2014 and returning to their bases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read also: <\/strong> Russian attack on Ukraine still possible, \u2013 Biden addresses nation on Ukraine-Russia crisis<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier today, 100 Russian tanks, howitzers were recorded by OSCE SMM<\/a> to be kept outside designated storage sites in Donbas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 NATO Secretary Genera<\/a>l Jens Stoltenberg ahead of the meetings of NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels underlined Alliance saw no signs of deescalation on Ukraine-Russia border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be honest we react to the reality we have and we don\u2019t see any withdrawal yet. We just heard about it,\u201d <\/em>Ukraine\u2019s president Volodymyr Zelensky stated in his recent interview with BBC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2757\u2757\u2757#Ukraine<\/a> sees no any troops withdrawal from its borders despite #Russian<\/a> claims, \u2013 president @ZelenskyyUa<\/a> #StandWithUkraine<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qCMNUe15Zp<\/a><\/p>— UATV English (@UATV_en) February 17, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>