The President of Ukraine called on Vladimir Putin to deny that he was planning an invasion. (File)
Kiev:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said Russia was sending a “very dangerous” signal with troop movements on the border, and warned that his army was ready to repel any attack.
He also claimed Kiev had discovered a coup plot involving Russian citizens, but did not give full details.
His warning came as Western governments grew worried about Russian troop movements on the Ukrainian border, with Washington saying they had “real concerns” about the military build-up.
NATO head Jens Stoltenberg warned that “if Russia uses force against Ukraine, there will be costs, and there will be consequences”.
Zelensky, during an extensive press conference in Kiev, said that “very dangerous fallacies are coming out of Russia”.
“It’s a signal that there could be an escalation,” he said.
Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to confront Russia if Moscow decides to move troops across the border.
“There is a threat today that there will be war tomorrow,” he said, adding that Kiev’s “mighty” army was “fully prepared”, when his forces reported a soldier were killed on the front lines with separatists in the east on Friday.
Zelensky urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to deny that he was planning an invasion.
‘Deep concerns’
Stoltenberg echoed Western concerns about construction and warned of “consequences” if Russia launched a military attack on Ukraine.
The head of NATO said a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the Latvian capital Riga next week will deal with the massive influx of Russian military units on the border, which provides “very powerful reasons to deeply concerned”.
For Washington, “Russia’s continued use of military action against Ukraine is unacceptable,” said US Assistant Secretary for Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried.
“All options are on the table,” she said. “What we’re doing now is closely monitoring the region, consulting with our allies and partners on how we can deter Russia’s actions.”
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki, during a visit to London, expressed “unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, according to a spokesman. of Downing Street.
On Sunday, the director of Ukraine’s defense intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Russia has about 92,000 troops concentrated on the Ukrainian border, with an attack expected in January or February.
Such an attack could include air and artillery strikes, followed by air and amphibious assaults, Budanov told US media outlet Military Times.
Moscow has denied all such accusations and blamed Washington for raising tensions in the region.
The Kremlin also accused Kiev of “provocative actions” in its years-long conflict with pro-Russian separatists in two eastern breakaway regions.
‘Billion Dollar’ Coupon Lot
Zelensky said Kiev had information that “representatives of Russia” were trying to entice influential Ukrainian financier Rinat Akhmetov in a coup attempt.
He said Ukraine had an audiotape as evidence of the plot, with the Russians “discussing” Akhmetov’s role in the coup “for a billion dollars.”
He said it was planned for early December with the aim of “shaking up the situation inside our country.”
When asked about the statements, the Kremlin said “Russia never carried out such activities”.
Akhmetov dismissed this claim as “lies”.
This week, Kiev warned Moscow that it would “pay dearly” for any aggression.
Meanwhile, Putin has raised concerns about US-led military exercises in the Black Sea – a sensitive area for Russia, which has controlled the Crimean peninsula since it annexed it from Kiev.
He also criticized Kiev for using Turkish-made drones against the separatists, saying it violated peace agreements.
In a phone call with European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday, Putin said he was concerned that Kiev’s “provocative actions” would fuel tensions in eastern Ukraine.
He also highlighted “the need to end Kiev’s discriminatory policy against the Russian-speaking community”.
Zelensky warned on Friday that Russia has used the pretext of “protecting one or the other” as an excuse for aggression before.
Ukraine’s military was caught off guard by Russia’s annexation of Crimea, but its soldiers have accumulated combat experience and received weapons and equipment from Western allies, especially the United States, which has pledged to support them. $2.5 billion in aid to Ukrainian forces since 2014.
The conflict in the east has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people since 2014.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
