Questions about troop movements
Kyiv calls for OSCE session on troop movements
02/14/2022 11:23 am
Ukraine sees violations of transparency rules under OSCE agreements. Specifically, Russia has not responded to questions from Kiev about military movements along the border. Now the conference is to convene for a special session.
The Ukrainian government has demanded transparency from Russia about its troop movements, citing an OSCE agreement. Moscow must “fulfill its commitments to military transparency in order to reduce tensions,” said Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. That is why Ukraine “convenes a meeting with Russia and all member states (of the OSCE) within 48 hours”. Poland currently chairs the OSCE.
The government in Moscow ignored a request from Kiev citing the Vienna Document of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Kuleba explained. The text is intended to promote the exchange of information on the activities of the armed forces of the organization’s 57 member countries.
“Now we go to the next step,” announced Kuleba. It’s about “discussing the strengthening and relocation of Russian troops along our border and in occupied Crimea.”
According to Western information, Moscow has massed more than 100,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine in recent months. The US government has repeatedly warned that Russia could attack the neighboring country “at any time”. Russia denies any plans to attack and says it feels threatened by NATO. Tensions had recently increased. Numerous Western countries called on their citizens to leave Ukraine, including Germany.