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Latest Ukraine updates: US says Putin growing navy options

Ukraine information from February 14: Russia’s Putin is including extra army pressure and functionality close to Ukraine’s borders everyday, Pentagon spokesman says.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is including extra army pressure and functionality close to Ukraine’s border with every passing day, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby has said.
“This is a army that, that maintains to develop stronger, maintains to develop extra ready. They’re exercising, so we agree with that he has a variety of abilties and alternatives to be had to him must he need to apply army pressure,” Kirby advised MSNBC in an interview on Monday.
“We accept as true with that he has plenty of competencies and alternatives to be had to him. Should he need to apply army pressure and as we stated, it may occur any day,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s overseas minister stated Russia ought to invade Ukraine “at any second”, mentioning the trendy intelligence visible through London.
“Latest data shows Russia ought to invade at any second and we urge the Kremlin to deescalate,” Liz Truss tweeted.
The feedback come withinside the face of spiralling tensions with Moscow, which has massed an expected 100,000 squaddies and superior guns round Ukraine’s borders.
This stay weblog is now closed, thank you for becoming a member of us. Here are the updates for February 14.
14 hours ago (19:fifty eight GMT)
Everything in location for large Russian assault on Ukraine, France says
France’s overseas minister has stated that the whole lot become in location for Russian forces to invade speedy in Ukraine, including that Europe become prepared to impose big sanctions if it happened.
“If the query is are there factors in tempo in order that there may be a prime offensive through Russian forces in Ukraine, then sure it’s true. It’s feasible and speedy,” Jean-Yves Le Drian advised France five TV.
He stated the evaluation become shared through Paris and its allies, despite the fact that he stated not anything indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made that choice.
“It’s blowing warm and cold,” he stated, suggesting that Russia become leaving the door open for dialogue.
14 hours ago (19:fifty six GMT)
US protection secretary to go to Belgium, Lithuania, Poland
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will go away the next day to go to Belgium, Lithuania and Poland, the Pentagon has stated.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stated he might meet leaders in every of the nations at the side of US troops in Poland. In Brussels, Austin will meet with NATO allies.
“The secretary is leaving the next day morning for Brussels. We’ll must see how matters play out,” he stated.
Kirby introduced the USA did now no longer accept as true with Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a very last choice to invade Ukraine, however that he ought to circulate with very little caution and has persevered to feature to his competencies alongside the nations’ shared border.
Britain says Johnson and Biden see critical window for international relations on Ukraine
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden agreed there has been a critical window for international relations and a hazard for Russia to step again and prevent catastrophe in Ukraine, Johnson’s workplace has stated after a name among the leaders.
“They agreed there remained a critical window for international relations and for Russia to step again from its threats in the direction of Ukraine,” a Downing Street spokesperson stated in a assertion after the name.
“The leaders emphasized that any in addition incursion into Ukraine might bring about a long disaster for Russia, with a long way accomplishing harm for each Russia and the world.”
15 hours ago (19:forty two GMT)
Ukraine makes Wednesday ‘cohesion day’ in face of feared invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared Wednesday – the day US officers warn may mark the begin of a feared Russian invasion of the ex-Soviet state – countrywide “cohesion day”.
“They inform us that February sixteen might be the day of the invasion. We will make this into Unity Day. I actually have signed the corresponding decree,” Zelenskyy stated in a countrywide address.
15 hours ago (19:35 GMT)
US shifting Ukraine embassy from Kyiv to Lviv
The United States is moving its embassy operations in Ukraine from the capital Kyiv to the western town of Lviv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated, mentioning the “dramatic acceleration withinside the buildup of Russian forces”.
Blinken stated in a assertion the selection turned into taken out of problem for the protection of embassy body of workers. Most embassy body of workers have already been ordered to leave Ukraine and US residents had been counseled to go away the country.
“My group and I continuously evaluation the safety scenario to decide while prudence dictates a extrade in posture,” Blinken stated, including that Washington might maintain operating for a diplomatic method to the tensions.
Embassy operations have been being briefly moved to Lviv – kind of 50 miles from Ukraine’s western border with Poland – however the embassy might stay engaged with the Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv, Blinken stated.
sixteen hours ago (18:forty six GMT)
Russian mercenaries with secret agent hyperlinks growing presence in Ukraine
Russian mercenaries with ties to Moscow’s spies have multiplied their presence in Ukraine in latest weeks, 3 senior Western safety reassets have stated.
They stated their worries had bolstered in latest weeks that a Russian incursion into Ukraine will be preceded through an statistics battle and cyberattacks on Ukraine’s important infrastructure which include energy and fueloline networks.
Russia can also use the mercenaries to sow discord and paralyse Ukraine thru focused assassinations and using specialized weaponry, the reassets stated.
“It is in all likelihood that Russian mercenaries, beneathneath the path of the Russian state, might be worried in any hostilities in Ukraine, probably inclusive of a pretext for an invasion,” stated one Western safety source, who spoke on circumstance of anonymity.
Pentagon says Putin keeps to boom his navy alternatives
Russia’s Putin is including extra navy pressure and functionality close to Ukraine’s border with every passing day, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby has advised MSNBC in an interview.
“This is a navy that, that keeps to develop stronger, keeps to develop extra prepared. They’re exercising, so we agree with that he has numerous skills and alternatives to be had to him have to he need to apply navy pressure,” Kirby stated.
“We agree with that he has numerous skills and alternatives to be had to him. Should he need to apply navy pressure and as we stated, it may show up any day,” he stated.
17 hours ago (17:forty eight GMT)
UN leader speaks with Russia, Ukraine overseas ministers
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke one at a time with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, a UN spokesman has stated.
Guterres expressed “extreme concern” to each ministers over the heightened tensions and “welcomed the continuing diplomatic discussions to defuse the ones tensions and underlined, but again, the truth that there’s no opportunity to international relations,” stated UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
17 hours ago (17:14 GMT)
Sherman, Seibert speak efforts to induce Russia to de-strengthen
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Bjoern Seibert, the leader of body of workers for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, mentioned diplomatic efforts to induce Russia to de-strengthen and select international relations in a name approximately the scenario in Ukraine, the State Department has stated.
Sherman and Seibert reiterated that in addition escalation could be met with massive, coordinated effects and intense prices for Russia, the State Department stated in a announcement.
17 hours ago (17:eleven GMT)
Latvian airline schedules extra flights out of Kyiv
Latvian state-owned airline airBaltic has scheduled extra flights from Kyiv to Latvian capital Riga to deal with demand.
The flights, on Tuesday and Wednesday, are scheduled “to deal with the enormous passenger demand”, the airline stated in a announcement. “AirBaltic is constantly comparing the modern scenario and … is bendy and prepared to modify its flight agenda if necessary,” the announcement stated.
The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday took to Twitter to endorse its nationals nevertheless in Ukraine to “use this opportunity”.
17 hours ago (17:09 GMT)
Ukraine could welcome Vatican mediation, needs papal go to quickly
Ukraine is open to a Vatican mediation of its struggle with Russia and needs Pope Francis to go to as quickly as possible, even withinside the modern scenario, Kyiv’s new ambassador to the Holy See has stated.
Speaking to Reuters information corporation in a phone interview from Kyiv, Andriy Yurash, stated the Vatican became thinking about its reaction to invites from each political and Catholic Church officers in Ukraine for a go to.
“As I apprehend it, the Vatican could be prepared and glad to create this opportunity for assembly leaders from each sides,” stated Yurash, the previous head of the Department on Religious Affairs and Nationalities at Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture.
“Ukraine is absolutely in favour of [using] this very influential, very non secular region for a assembly. If Russia confirms its will to take a seat down on the table, at once Ukraine will reply in a nice way,” he stated.
18 hours ago (16:50 GMT)
World Bank briefly relocates body of workers from Ukraine, suspends missions
The World Bank is briefly moving body of workers from Ukraine and has suspended body of workers missions to the us of a because of the tensions at the border among Russia and Ukraine, in step with an inner memo visible via way of means of Reuters information corporation.
The World Bank stated it became intently tracking the scenario and its operations had been persevering with in Ukraine.
“The World Bank Group’s predominant precedence is to hold our body of workers and their households safe. In line with our evacuation policy, transient relocation of body of workers is underway and more desirable safety features are in region,” the memo stated.
18 hours ago (16:forty eight GMT)
Czech Airlines provides 3 flights from Kyiv this week and next
Czech Airlines has delivered 3 flights from Kyiv to Prague to its agenda this week and next, a spokeswoman stated.
She stated the flights had formerly been cancelled for commercial enterprise motives however were restored due to growing demand. The airline’s internet site indexed each day flights from Kyiv to Prague among Monday and the cease of February.
18 hours ago (16:forty six GMT)
Ukraine chief says NATO club could ‘make sure our safety’
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy has declared that becoming a member of the NATO alliance could assure his us of a’s survival, protecting an ambition that has enraged his effective Russian neighbour.
“We apprehend that NATO club could make sure our safety and our territorial integrity,” Zelensky advised journalists at a joint information convention with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Germany’s Scholz urges Russia to take in gives of ‘dialogue’
Scholz has referred to as on Russia to simply accept the West’s pursuit of talks to ease tensions over Ukraine.
Scholz instructed journalists in Kyiv there was “no affordable justification” for the Russian army build-up on Ukraine’s borders and entreated Moscow “to take in the present gives of dialogue”.
19 hours ago (15:26 GMT)
More US F-15 fighter jets land in Poland
An extra 8 F-15 fighter jets from the US have landed in Poland, the country’s defence minister says.
“More American F-15 warring parties landed nowadays at the bottom in Lask,” Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter. “Eight plane will be a part of people who got here to Poland final week.”
20 hours ago (14:fifty seven GMT)
Russia should invade Ukraine at any second, UK’s pinnacle diplomat warns
The United Kingdom’s overseas minister has stated Russia should invade Ukraine “at any second”, mentioning the ultra-modern intelligence visible through London.
“Latest data indicates Russia should invade at any second and we urge the Kremlin to deescalate,” Liz Truss tweeted following a assembly of the government’s disaster reaction committee (COBR).
“Our attention is on prioritising the protection and safety of British nationals in Ukraine,” she added.
Zelenskyy commits to NATO club goal
Ukraine will retain to pursue its ambition of becoming a member of NATO, Zelenskyy has stated.
“Today, many reporters and lots of leaders are hinting a bit to Ukraine that it’s far viable now no longer to take dangers, now no longer to continuously enhance the difficulty of destiny club withinside the alliance, due to the fact those dangers are related to the response of the Russian Federation,” the Ukrainian president informed journalists following his talks with Scholz.
“I consider that we ought to flow alongside the course we’ve got chosen,” he added.
20 hours ago (14:forty GMT)
Scholz delivers ‘display of unity’ in Kyiv
Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Kyiv, says Scholz brought a “display of unity” with Kyiv at some point of his go to to the Ukrainian capital.
“Both [Scholz and Zelenskyy] spoke approximately the significance of helping Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the German chancellor additionally stated he could be bringing a caution to Russia whilst he visits Moscow on Tuesday and meets Putin,” she stated.
“He can be telling Putin that any invasion or assault on Ukraine could be met with very extreme results and that every one Western powers have been agreed on that.”
Germany’s Scholz ‘decided’ to retain useful resource to Ukraine
Scholz says he is “decided” to preserve useful resource to Ukraine amid the mounting tensions with Russia.
The German chancellor informed journalists following his talks with Zelenskky that “no us of a withinside the world” had provided greater monetary help withinside the final 8 years – following Moscow’s early 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula – to Ukraine than Germany.
He stated the greater than $2bn in useful resource supplied through Berlin had made Kyiv “greater resilient and impartial in opposition to overseas influence”.
“I can guarantee you that we’re decided to retain this support,” Scholz added.
20 hours ago (14:15 GMT)
Putin approves, in principle, Russia’s replies on safety ensures: Report
Putin has approved, in principle, the Russian overseas ministry’s responses to the West on safety ensures that Moscow is seeking, the us of a’s RIA Novosti information organisation cites the Kremlin as saying.
Russian diplomats had been now
finalising the textual content of the responses, RIA reported.
Ukraine hails ‘wonderful’ defence talks with Belarus
Ukraine’s defence minister has hailed what he known as a “wonderful” spherical of talks together along with his Belarusian counterpart, geared toward deflating tensions stoked via way of means of Russian-Belarus army drills.
“We mentioned our schedule and decided our destiny steps. I view this as a wonderful sign and a primary step closer to fruitful cooperation,” Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov stated in a statement.
21 hours ago (13:forty six GMT)
Eastern Europe braces for capacity refugees
Countries in Eastern Europe are making arrangements for probably loads of lots of human beings fleeing Ukraine if the disaster with Russia escalates, with a few Polish cities already list locations to be had and Romania thinking about refugee camps.
Poland stated it became making ready for a worst-case scenario. Romania, which additionally stocks a protracted border with Ukraine, has in the meantime finalised an motion plan, Interior Minister Lucian Bode instructed non-public tv station B1. Hungary is likewise making arrangements.
Slovakia’s defence minister has stated that there can be tens of lots of refugees even below a confined conflict.
The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have additionally stated they had been readying to simply accept refugees.
Ukraine’s Kuleba and US’s Blinken speak OSCE venture to Ukraine
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says he has spoken to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken approximately the functioning of an global observer venture that video display units the separatist warfare in japanese Ukraine.
The Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has for years monitored preventing among Ukrainian troops and Russian-sponsored separatist forces however currently a number of its body of workers have left the location amid developing worries over the tensions.
“We additionally mentioned the functioning of SMM OSCE. Ukraine is interested by it being absolutely operational,” Kuleba stated in a tweet after his telecellsmartphone name with Blinken.
Greece says expatriates killed in jap Ukraine
Greece’s overseas ministry says Greek expatriates have been killed and every other significantly injured in an incident regarding Ukrainian infantrymen withinside the country’s warfare-hit east.
The ministry stated in a declaration that 3 Ukrainian infantrymen have been “responsible” for the deaths and accidents to the 4 Greeks withinside the village of Hranitne, which sits near the “line of contact” with the pro-Russian separatist forces who seized a swathe of territory withinside the Donbas location in early 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
It stated the violence erupted after the Greeks and Ukrainian infantrymen were given into an argument “for a trifling reason”. It did now no longer say what the Greeks have been doing withinside the place however a Greek overseas ministry respectable become quoted with the aid of using Reuters as pronouncing the incident had not anything to do with the continuing warfare withinside the location.
Russia says a few army drills have ended, others near completion
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has informed President Vladimir Putin that a number of the country’s army drills had already ended and others have been coming to a close.
Russia’s joint sporting events with best friend Belarus and different drills close to Ukraine have fanned fears Russia can be poised to invade its neighbour.
22 hours ago (12:fifty seven GMT)
Russia’s Lavrov proposes persisted diplomacy
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has counseled to Putin that Moscow have to maintain alongside the diplomatic route in its efforts to extract safety ensures from the West.
He informed the Russian president throughout a televised assembly among the pair that americaA had recommend concrete proposals on lowering army risks, however stated responses from the European Union and NATO army alliance had now no longer been satisfactory.
Moscow desires NATO to assure that Ukraine will by no means be approved to turn out to be a member and for the army alliance to give up all army pastime in Eastern Europe. Those needs were flatly rejected through each the alliance and americaA.
Defence ministers of Belarus, Ukraine keep talks via way of means of telecellsmartphone
Belarus’ defence minister has held a telecellsmartphone name together along with his Ukrainian counterpart geared toward restoring an ecosystem of discussion among the 2 nations and making sure safety withinside the region, consistent with the country’s defence ministry.
The ministry stated the officers had mentioned the continued drills being staged via way of means of Belarus and Russia, in addition to sporting events being performed via way of means of Ukraine, and expressed self belief that neither side’s sports posed a safety danger to the other.
Kyiv showed the decision had taken place, describing it as a fantastic sign and a primary step toward cooperation.
22 hours ago (12:22 GMT)
‘Grave opportunity of an invasion this week’: UK PM’s spokesman
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman says the United Kingdom has visible no signal that Russia will de-amplify the disaster and warns there may be a “grave opportunity” that Moscow may want to release an invasion this week.
“We have visible no symptoms and symptoms thus far that Russia will again down. There are extra than 130,000 Russian troops at the border of Ukraine, and we’re gravely concerned,” the spokesman stated.
“There is a grave opportunity of an invasion this week.”
Russian lawmakers endorse draft decision on popularity of breakaway republics
Lawmakers from Russia’s ruling United Russia birthday birthday celebration have proposed a draft decision to are seeking the overseas ministry’s view on whether or not to name for the popularity of breakaway Ukrainian areas as independent, the Russian parliament’s database shows.
The State Duma, Russia’s decrease house, is because of speak the inspiration later. The very last decision might then be despatched to Putin.
Formal popularity of the east Ukrainian areas managed through pro-Russian separatists considering that 2014 – the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) – might in addition inflame tensions among Moscow and Kyiv.
23 hours ago (12:01 GMT)
German troops arrive in Lithuania
A German navy plane wearing troop reinforcements has landed in Lithuania, the primary of numerous deliberate NATO deployments geared toward reinforcing the alliance’s jap flank.
The A400M aircraft carried round 70 infantrymen of what’s predicted to develop to a 360-sturdy German deployment, which comes on pinnacle of current NATO forces withinside the region, a spokesperson for the alliance’s superior ahead presence battlegroup said.
The new deployments encompass reconnaissance and artillery troops and medics from gadgets all through Germany, in addition to round a hundred howitzers and different vehicles, with arrivals predicted to maintain all through this week.
“It’s a sturdy sign that Germany is inclined and able to reinforcing the battlegroup at once as needed,” Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Andrae, German commander of the NATO troops in Lithuania, informed reporters. He delivered the infantrymen “will live so long as they’re needed”.
Infographic: Why planes keep away from jap Ukraine
Airlines have stayed clean of jap Ukraine for the reason that July 2014, whilst Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 became shot down withinside the region. And now, as tensions upward thrust with Russia, providers are restricting their time spent in all Ukrainian airspace, or fending off it altogether.
- Al Jazeera has prepare a sequence of infographics that specify the consequences of the standoff among Kyiv and Moscow for aviation. Take a glance here
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