Ukraine believes that the number of Russian troops is “insufficient” for a major invasion

The number of Russian troops accumulated on the border with Ukraine not enough for a full-scale invasion of the country, as stated on Wednesday by the External subjects minister from Ukraine, Dmitro Kuleba. “The number of Russian troops concentrated along the Ukrainian border and in the occupied territories is large and poses a direct threat to Ukraine. However, at the moment this number is insufficient for a large-scale offensive against Ukraine,” Kuleba said at a press conference in Kiev.

He also added that the Russian troops they do not have “military indications and means” to carry out a large-scale offensive. However, Kuleba has said that Russia could increase its military presence on the border with Ukraine in the future.

Along the same lines, the Ukrainian Defense Minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, has cooled down the possibility of Russia carrying out an eventual intervention in its neighboring country, while at the same time asking the population to stay “calm” and don’t “panic”.

In a briefing held this past Tuesday in Kiev, Reznikov stressed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are “endowed and ready” to carry out “tasks” and recalled that, according to Ukrainian Intelligence, the russian military has not created any strike group, which lowers the probability of a Moscow offensive, as reported by Ukrinform. “There is no reason to think that an invasion will take place tomorrow from a military point of view,” he insisted.

Reznikov has attributed part of the blames the rise in tension on the international media, noting that the threat from the Kremlin has not changed significantly in eight years. In this sense, according to the Bloomberg agency, he recalled that the Ukrainians have dealt with a state of war since 2014.

“Panic and fear are the ones that get the most attention,” he said, referring to the headlines. However, he has clarified that, even with no immediate invasion in sight, “everything is possible, there is a risk”.

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski expressed himself on Monday along the same lines, noting that the authorities have “everything under control” and specifying that there was “no reason for panic.” According to the president, the Ukrainian authorities They work to de-escalate the tension and favor the peaceful path.

The National Security and Defense Council met Monday to discuss the crisis with Russia, which has massed more than 100,000 troops, tanks and heavy weapons on the Ukrainian border but insists it has no invasion plans. Among the issues discussed are measures to guarantee national security against “internal and external” threats, but also the state of the country’s economy, energy and the fight against the covid-19 pandemic.

diplomatic work

The Ukrainian ambassador to Japan, Sergiy Korsunsky, said on Wednesday that Ukraine is committed to seeking a diplomatic solution to the current tension with Russia. Adding, moreover, that he sees little possibility of an all-out war, although there could be minor conflicts.

Korsunsky has warned that an attack on a country with more than a dozen nuclear reactors would cause a “devastating” regional impact on Europe.

For his part, the Russian ambassador to Australia, Alexey Pavlovsky, assured on Wednesday that his country does not plan to invade Ukraine, “not at all”: “Our troops on the border… These troops are not a threat, they are a warning. A warning to the rulers of Ukraine not to attempt any reckless military adventure.”