“Risk of an attack increases”
Stoltenberg: Russia is increasing troops
02/20/2022, 8:26 p.m
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg is concerned about changes in the Russian troop deployment in Belarus. Instead of a promised retreat, there are now more soldiers on the border with Ukraine. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister calls Russia’s behavior a “game changer”.
NATO is concerned about Russia’s decision to keep thousands of troops in Belarus longer than originally planned. The Secretary General of the military alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Sunday evening in the ARD “Report from Berlin” that Russia had promised to withdraw troops from the border region with Ukraine, but was actually increasing them. There are more soldiers near the border.
In addition, there are obviously efforts to stage a pretext for a Russian invasion in eastern Ukraine. Stoltenberg said it was not too late for Russia to change course. “But the risk of an attack increases.”
The West had expected a withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Belarus after the end of a maneuver on Sunday. According to Western information, Russia has gathered around 150,000 soldiers on the border with neighboring Ukraine, but denies any plans of attack. Since 2014, the Ukrainian army and Russian-backed separatists have faced each other in eastern Ukraine. The insurgents now announced a general mobilization.
Lithuania and Latvia call for strengthening NATO’s eastern flank
In view of the intensified conflict in Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia are demanding immediate western sanctions against Russia and a strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank. The fact that Russian troops are staying in Belarus, contrary to Moscow’s previous assurances, is a “game changer for the security of the NATO countries bordering Belarus,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis wrote on Twitter on Sunday. “NATO reinforcements and EU sanctions are appropriate.”
His Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkevics also tweeted, referring to the whereabouts of the troops and further “aggression against Ukraine”: “It is clear that the transatlantic community must start implementing sanctions against Russia and NATO should station more forces in the region. ” Baltic EU and NATO members Lithuania and Latvia both border Russia, as well as Russia’s ally Belarus.