Category: Crimea

US Says Russia’s Claims of Troop Withdrawal ‘False,’ Added 7,000 More Troops Near Ukraine

The United States now believes Russia’s claims that it is pulling back troops from Ukraine’s borders are “false,” amid fears of an imminent invasion. “Yesterday, the Russian government said it was withdrawing troops from Ukraine,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Wednesday evening. “They received a lot of attention for that claim, both here…


UK Begins Withdrawing Embassy Staff and Families From Ukraine, Issues Travel Warning

The United Kingdom has started withdrawing some of its embassy staff and dependents from Kyiv amid growing tensions on the Russia–Ukraine border. The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed the move on Monday. It also advised against all travel to three contested border regions and all but essential travel to the rest of Ukraine….


UK, Australia, Germany Withdraw Embassy Personnel and Families From Ukraine

The UK and Australia said they have begun withdrawing some embassy personnel from Ukraine, while Germany offered assistance to staff members’ families and some civilians who want to leave. The precautionary measures come as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that “gloomy” intelligence suggested Russia was planning a lightning raid on Kyiv. The U.S. State…


CIA Director Sent to Moscow After Russian Forces Amass Near Ukrainian Border

President Joe Biden sent CIA Director Bill Burns to Moscow last week to caution senior Kremlin officials that the United States is monitoring Russia’s buildup of troops and military equipment near Ukraine’s northern border. Burns conveyed the message to the officials that the U.S. was closely monitoring the situation during his Nov. 2 meeting in…


Putin Says Russian Navy Can Carry out ‘Unpreventable Strike’ If Needed

MOSCOW—The Russian navy can detect any enemy and launch an “unpreventable strike” if needed, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday, weeks after a UK warship angered Moscow by passing the Crimea peninsula. “We are capable of detecting any underwater, above-water, airborne enemy and, if required, carry out an unpreventable strike against it,” Putin said speaking…


Tokyo Olympics Map Corrected After Ukraine Objects

KYIV—The International Olympic Committee has corrected a map on the Tokyo Olympics website after Ukraine protested about the inclusion of a border between Ukraine and its Crimean Peninsula, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Friday. Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast in 2014, triggering Western sanctions and condemnation. Most countries deem…


No Compromise of Leaked Defence Papers by Adversaries: UK Defence Secretary

Classified Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents found at a bus stop last month were leaked as a result of a mistake, not espionage, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed. Wallace told MPs on Monday that the papers had not been compromised by the UK’s adversaries. The 50-pages of papers, including documents relating to the likely…


Russian Warplanes Practice Bombing Enemy Ships in Black Sea Drills

MOSCOW—Russian warplanes practiced bombing enemy ships in the Black Sea during training exercises, Russia said on Saturday, amid friction with the West over NATO drills in the region and following a recent incident with a British warship. Moscow last week challenged the right of HMS Defender to pass through waters near Crimea, something London said…


Why Did Boris Johnson Pick a Fight Over Crimea?

Commentary It is almost incomprehensible—the UK’s warship, identified formally as Delta 36, but named HMS Defender, entered Russian claimed waters around Crimea, which the UK does not recognize but knows full well about Russia’s sensitivity in this Black Sea area. In a drama lasting more than six minutes, an unnamed Russian Coast Guard ship demanded the…


UK Would Send Warships Though Crimea Waters Again, Minister Says

British Warships would go through disputed waters around Crimea again, a UK cabinet minister said after Russia accused a British destroyer of breaching Russian waters. Russia on Wednesday said it fired shots and dropped bombs in the path of the UK’s HMS Defender near Cape Fiolent, a landmark on the southern coast of Crimea near the port…