Ukraine sees movement on its border with Russiaboth by sea and by land, while the Russians carry out military exercises, scheduled for January and February.
The Ministry of Defense reported that more than 20 ships of the Russian navy began a military drill on Wednesday in the Black Seain addition to the video published in which Russian military vehicles are seen moving towards firing ranges in the southwestern region of Rostovwhich borders the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk Y Lugansk.
The objective of the drill is to train safe maneuvers in areas with heavy navigation, establish communications and organize air defense at sea, according to the statement.
More than 140 warships and support vessels, more than 60 aircraft, 1,000 units of military equipment and about 10,000 servicemen will participate in the exercises.
To bad weather, good face
“In Ukraine, high-level politicians put on a brave face and play down the threat posed by the current concentration of Russian troops on their border. The Foreign Minister said that the current number of soldiers is insufficient for a full attack and the president of the country has repeated that the situation is under control”reported our international correspondent Anelise Borgesfrom kievUkraine.
southwestern Ukraine, the president of romaniaKlaus Iohannisconvened a meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defense (CSAT), and reported that the country is willing to “welcome military troops from the NATOwithin the framework of security developments in the region”emphasizing that “NATO only acts defensively.”
Without weapons, but with helmets
Another maneuver is Germany, which seems to remain on the sidelines. The Chancellor Olaf Scholz recalled that the refusal to send weapons to Ukraine is based on a principle “naturally derived from the evolution of recent years and decades”, an election linked to the responsibility of the country in the WWII.
Christine Lambrecht, German Defense Minister, said “The German government has clearly agreed that we will not send lethal weapons, nor deliver weapons to crisis areas, because we do not want to further fuel these conflicts. And I believe that this is also the right way to go in this case”
He also reported that Germany will supply 5,000 military helmets, drawing criticism and derision in Ukraine and in opposition ranks.
“5,000 helmets is a real joke”declared the mayor of kiev vitali klitschkoto the German newspaper Bild. “What’s Germany sending next as support? Pillows?”. For the mayor of Kiev, “German federal government’s behavior leaves speechless”.
“This does not eliminate the issue of the delivery of urgently needed weapons”He said Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrij Melnykaccording to German media. “It’s just a drop in the bucket, it’s not even a consolation prize.
The same tone of voice was heard from the opposition to the government: “The German government is trying to give the impression that it is very close to Ukraine. The German government is trying to give the impression that it is supporting Ukraine very closely. To prove it by handing over 5,000 helmets seems frankly cynical to me.”He said Florian Hahn, defense spokesman for the conservative parliamentary group CDU-CSU.
“The federal government is only making things worse for itself and for Germany”coincided Norbert Röttgen, leader of the Christian Democratic Partydescribing the delivery announcement as “shameful”.
es.euronews.com
Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.