2023-08-09 21:57:00
Russia It will strengthen its military forces near its borders with NATO states, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said, lashing out at the United States and its allies for supporting Ukraine.
Shoigu told a meeting of defense officials on Wednesday that there was a need to “strengthen troop formations” on Russia’s western borders in response to what it said was a buildup of forces by North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries.
He highlighted the “militarization of Poland” and said the entry of Finland and Sweden as NATO members would be “seriously destabilizing” for Russia’s security. Taking into account the armed forces of Eastern European countries, regarding 360,000 servicemen are stationed near the borders of Russia and its ally Belarus, she said.
Ukraine claimed to thwart a Russian ambush once morest Zelensky: they caught an “informant of the secret services” “red-handed”
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its 18th month, sparked Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II and reinvigorated NATO, as members of the defense alliance send billions of dollars worth of weapons to help the Kiev government defend itself. The war led Finland to join NATO, while Sweden’s membership application is going through the ratification process.
Shoigu complained that arms deliveries to Ukraine by the US and its allies “create serious risks of further escalation of the conflict.” He did not acknowledge that Russia had started the war.
Russia announced in January that it planned to expand its military to 1.5 million people. from the current target level of 1.15 million amid deepening tensions with NATO. The Kremlin has not indicated how quickly the expansion might take place.
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