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Russian Forces Appear Well Positioned For Rapid Ukraine Invasion, Report Says

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This article is more than 2 years old.
Updated Apr 21, 2022, 09:32am EDT

Topline

Russian forces along the Ukraine border have set up medical units and supply lines that could allow for an immediate invasion of Ukraine and provide ongoing support for troops during the conflict, according to CNN, as international concern grows over the possibility of renewed warfare in eastern Europe.

Key Facts

CNN, citing a source with knowledge of the tactics, reported Russians have moved infrastructure in place that would supply troops on the front lines for seven to ten days and could sustain reinforcements for a month.

Top U.S. diplomats and other international officials have warned that Russia’s bolstering of forces along the country’s border with Ukraine could mean an invasion is imminent, but it’s unclear what Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to do with the troops.

Russia has denied it plans to attack Ukraine, but has also demanded Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO, with Putin claiming he’d be worried about weapons systems being deployed near Russia if Ukraine is allowed to join the organization.

Ukrainian officials aver that Russia is trying to blame the country for the conflict through a “propaganda” campaign claiming it’s trying to use its military to recapture areas in the country’s east controlled by Russian-speaking separatists, which Ukraine denies.

The Ukrainian military is reportedly planning to add new Black Sea military patrol boats it obtained from the U.S. and expects to add more antitank missiles, as well.

Crucial Quote

“We don’t know whether President Putin has made the decision to invade,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after speaking with foreign ministers in Latvia on Wednesday. "We do know that he is putting in place the capacity to do so on short order should he so decide."

What To Watch For

Blinken has warned that Russia would be hit with unprecedented economic sanctions if it chose to invade Ukraine, but it does not appear the U.S. or other major western forces are planning significant military involvement if a conflict breaks out.

Key Background

War has been ongoing among Russian, Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatist forces since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, but a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine would represent a major escalation in the conflict. Most of the tensions at this point center around the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine, which is located along the Russian border. Much of the region consists of Russian speakers and ethnic Russians, who moved to declare independence from Ukraine in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea. Skirmishes have been ongoing in the region since, as the Russian-backed separatists seek autonomy from Ukraine.

Further Reading

Russia positions more forces, supply lines as fears rise of potential Ukraine invasion (CNN)

U.S. tells Russia to pull back from Ukraine or face painful sanctions (Reuters)

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