Is World Photo Russia’s D-Day Really February 16th?

Input 2022.02.13 16:46
Edited 2022.02.13 16:46

Amid the growing possibility of a military clash between Russia and the West over Ukraine, Russian troops have been conducting large-scale exercises in Belarus since the 10th (local time).

Belarus is a country bordering Ukraine to the north and has very friendly relations with Russia.

This makes Belarus a viable route for ground forces to push and use if Russia actually invaded Ukraine.

Russia and Belarus are just routine exercises to promote military cooperation between the two countries, but given the current escalating military crisis and geopolitical factors, few seem to believe it in its own right.

30,000 Russian and Belarusian troops participated in this exercise, which is called ‘United Resolution 2022’.

The Russian military has invested in a large number of core power assets such as the advanced air defense missile system S-400, the Panchiri-S air defense system, the fourth-generation multi-purpose fighter Sukhoi (Su)-35, and the attack aircraft Su-25SM for training.

Despite Russia’s strong denial, the scenario of the invasion of Ukraine is increasingly taking shape.

US media Politico reported that US President Joe Biden said in a videoconference with European leaders on the 11th that ‘D-Day’ was February 16th.

It warned that the Russian military might conduct cyberattacks and missile launches across the Belarusian border and that the Russian ground forces might launch an attack on February 16 in line with that.

The atmosphere doesn’t look too bad.

To prevent the outbreak of war, the leaders of the United States and Russia made an urgent phone call on the 12th, but might not put out the fire.

President Biden strongly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that “if Russia invades Ukraine, the United States, together with its allies and partners, will respond decisively and make Russia pay a swift and serious price.”

Russia’s Kremlin (Presidential Office) pointed out that “President Biden conveyed his thoughts on Russia’s security guarantees to President Putin, but unfortunately did not take into account Russia’s main concerns.”

This phone call was made as President Putin had hoped to do it on the 14th, but the US side suggested that it be done sooner.

The Kremlin blamed the call two days earlier due to “American hysteria” that Russia would invade Ukraine.

The United States is also responding in earnest to Russia’s military pressure.

On the 2nd, 1,700 men from the 82nd Airborne Division, the U.S. elite unit, were deployed to Poland, adjacent to Belarus, and an additional 3,000 men were to be sent.

1,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany were also transferred to Romania, which borders Ukraine.

The critical point is approaching, so it would not be strange if a war broke out tomorrow.

/yunhap news