Friday, November 26th, 2021
Russia rejects the allegation
Zelensky warns of a coup on Wednesday
A Russian troop deployment near the Ukrainian border is causing concern in the west. The President of Ukraine accuses Moscow of planning a coup in his country – in a few days. This would be proven by sound recordings. Russia disagrees.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of plans to launch a coup in his country. “I have received the information that a coup will take place in our country on December 1st,” Zelenskyi told journalists in Kiev. There are sound recordings on which representatives of Russia and the richest Ukrainian Rinat Akhmetov are planning an overthrow. Perhaps the entrepreneur was only supposed to be drawn in and had nothing to do with it, said the 43-year-old head of state. But he will confront Akhmetov with the recordings.
The Kremlin in Moscow immediately rejected Zelenskyi’s remarks. “Russia had no plans to participate. And Russia never deals with such matters,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Interfax agency.
Akhmetov is seen as an opponent of a recently passed law aimed at curtailing the political influence of ultra-rich Ukrainians known as oligarchs. Since then, Zelenskyi has been severely criticized on Akhmetov’s television channels. Selenskyj, on the other hand, finds support on the TV channel of his sponsor Ihor Kolomojskyj.
“We are facing challenges – not only from the Russian Federation and a possible escalation. We have internal challenges,” said Selenskyj. Ukraine has full control over its borders and is ready in the event of an escalation in relations with Russia.
On Thursday, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki expressed concern about Russian troop movements on the Ukrainian border. The US and NATO have also expressed concern that a Russian attack could occur. The Moscow government has denied having such plans.
NATO warns Russia of attack on Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Moscow of an attack on Ukraine. “If Russia uses force against Ukraine, there will be consequences,” said Stoltenberg. Moscow will then “pay the price”. Merkel had also threatened consequences in the event of an attack on Ukrainian sovereignty. Stoltenberg accused Russia again of deploying troops, tanks and other heavy equipment in the border area with Ukraine. Moscow must prevent further “escalation”, he stressed.
The situation in Ukraine will be the subject of a two-day NATO meeting in Latvia from Tuesday. The Alliance’s foreign ministers will meet in the capital, Riga, with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitri Kuleba, among others. Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of worsening the situation on the common border. The Russian foreign intelligence service SWR had also accused the USA of spreading false information about the Russian troop movements.
Blinken and Lavrov meet
The growing tensions over the Ukraine conflict are also likely to be a topic at the OSCE meeting of around 50 foreign ministers next week. The foreign ministers of the USA and Russia will also meet here. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian colleague Sergei Lavrov have agreed to attend, said the Swedish government, which currently chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The OZSE meeting will take place on December 2nd and 3rd in Stockholm. According to the Swedish Foreign Ministry, it is the first time since 2017 that the chief diplomats will be represented in both Washington and Moscow. Since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the increasing tensions between Russia and the West, the OSCE has endeavored to play a stronger role in the conflict.