Bloomberg: Russia is increasing its military contingent on the border with Ukraine

The satellite tracking footage was provided to reporters by Janes, an intelligence and defense company. Experts believe that Russia is pulling air defense systems, tanks and artillery to the border with Ukraine.

“A small number of military personnel and equipment were captured on satellite images, but experts believe that 'Russia will be able to quickly and secretly' deploy additional forces with the help of trains or airplanes”, - notes the Dozhd TV channel *.

Demonstration of force by the Russian Federation continues on the eve of negotiations with the United States. The Ukrainian authorities estimate the size of the Russian military contingent in the 200-kilometer zone from the border at 122 thousand people.

Talks about a possibly impending start of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine have been going on since November. Analysts believe the war could break out as early as 2022. Anticipating a possible invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine, the United States and the EU threatened the Russian Federation with sanctions. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that these sanctions be of a preventive nature.

The buildup of the Russian military contingent was preceded by negotiations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden, during which Putin indicated that Russia would not tolerate Ukraine's admission to NATO and the further expansion of the alliance to the east. Putin's position was supported by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which published on December 17 draft treaties with NATO and the United States on security guarantees. In particular, they include clauses on the inadmissibility of NATO's eastward expansion, as well as NATO's refusal to take military action in the regions bordering the Russian Federation.

Among the EU representatives, the MFA's ultimatum statement provoked a negative reaction. For example, German Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht said that Russia has no right to tell NATO partners how to behave. At the same time, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anushauskas said that Russia should not be allowed to "draw new red lines", as well as "divide Europe into spheres of influence". According to a number of politicians, the goal of the Russian Federation is to split NATO and weaken the influence of the alliance in Europe and the United States.

* Listed by the Ministry of Justice in the register of foreign media agents.