Russia announced Saturday that more than 10,000 troops had finished month-long drills near Ukraine, amid Western accusations that Moscow was plotting an invasion of its ex-Soviet neighbour. But the drills also took place further afield, including in Stavropol, Astrakhan, North Caucasus republics and even in Russia’s Caucasus ally Armenia. Western countries have accused Russia of massing upwards of 100,000 troops near Ukraine ahead of a possible winter invasion. In an interview on Friday, a senior Ukrainian security official told AFP that there was no risk of an imminent Russian invasion. The West has long accused the Kremlin of providing direct military support to pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Source: The Guardian December 27, 2021 00:08 UTC