Russia further strengthened its military device on the border with Ukraine over the weekend, the Pentagon spokesman said, despite Moscow’s announcement of the end of some military exercises.
Russian President Vladimir Putin “has extensive capabilities at his disposal,” a spokesman for the US Department of Defense said in an interview with CNN.
“He continues to add forces along the border with Ukraine and Belarus, even over the weekend, he is well over 100,000,” he noted.
“It’s not just a question of numbers,” he continued. “It’s the capabilities. It has combined arms capabilities at its disposal, from weapons to infantry, special forces, cyber and anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense.”
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Monday that some of Moscow’s massive military exercises in Russia and Belarus were “ending”, but added that some of the drills, which began in December, were still ongoing.
Earlier, the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, considered possible a diplomatic solution to the crisis around Ukraine, even proposing to “prolong and expand” the dialogue. Those statements were far less offensive than those emanating from Moscow in recent weeks.
However, the Pentagon spokesman reaffirmed that the head of the Kremlin has all the capabilities to launch “at any time” a “very conventional large military offensive in Ukraine”, or even a minor attack to destabilize the country.
Source: Gestion
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