Ukraine, Black Sea: Putin warns the West about Russia's "red lines"
Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at his residence in Novo-Ogaryaovo near Moscow on November 17, 2021 © AP
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3 min
NATO, Washington, Paris and Berlin have all denounced in recent days a reinforcement of Russian troops on the eastern borders of Ukraine.
Kiev even mentions an increase in Moscow's aggressiveness.
Speaking to an audience of diplomats at the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday, November 18, Vladimir Putin blamed them for the rise in tensions.
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"
Our Western partners are worsening the situation by delivering modern and lethal weapons to Kiev and by carrying out provocative military exercises in the Black Sea and other areas close to our borders,
" said the Russian president.
As for the Black Sea, it really goes beyond certain limits.
Strategic bombers fly 20 kilometers from our borders and carry, as we know, very dangerous weapons.
"
It is with these words that Vladimir Putin accused the West on Thursday of stoking the growing tensions on the eastern borders of Ukraine and in the Black Sea.
The Kremlin strongman warned his opponents against crossing "
red lines
".
►
To read also: NATO exercises in the Black Sea, a "serious challenge" for Vladimir Putin
"No Hybrid War"
Earlier this Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called on Europe to stop seeing Russia as "
responsible for all evil
".
"
Russia is not waging any hybrid war
," he added, with Moscow regularly accused of using asymmetric means against its geopolitical rivals.
NATO, Washington, Paris, and Berlin have all denounced in recent days a reinforcement of Russian troops on the eastern borders of Ukraine, where a war with pro-Russian separatists has been underway since 2014. In the same year, Moscow has annexed the Ukrainian peninsula from Crimea, in response to a pro-Western revolution.
Russia has already carried out large-scale military maneuvers near Ukraine in the spring of 2021, raising fears of an invasion.
Moscow has repeatedly warned the West against increased support for Kiev, also stressing that NATO's enhanced presence in Eastern Europe is seen as a sign of a hostile anti-Russian policy.
"
Our concerns and our warnings concerning the enlargement of NATO in the East have been completely ignored
", reaffirmed Thursday Vladimir Poutine, promising to "
react adequately
" to the military activity of NATO near the Russian borders.
►
Read also: Westerners fear renewed tensions between Russia and Ukraine this winter
Ukraine wants weapons
Kiev had at first minimized the scale of the deployment of Russian forces at its borders. But this Thursday, the tone has changed: Ukraine is notably asking for arms deliveries to its Western allies. "
Russia's aggressiveness has increased considerably in recent weeks,
" said Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kouleba. Therefore, Kiev is negotiating with the West the "
conclusion of agreements on additional supplies of defensive weapons for our country,
" he added.
The Ukrainians and their American and European allies are developing "
measures to contain Russia
", continued the minister: "
political and diplomatic pressures, painful economic blows in the event of the widening of the aggression Russian
”, as well as“
strengthening the defense capacity of the Ukrainian armed forces
”.
►
To read also: Nord Stream 2, Ukraine wins a small victory in front of Russia
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Russia
Vladimir Poutine
Ukraine