2021:
Quote:
A flurry of media reports last week warned that Russian military forces were massing near the border of Ukraine with the apparent intention of invading. The U.S. intelligence community estimates 70,000 troops are deployed at four locations, with Ukrainian sources estimating higher numbers.
Ukraine thus becomes the latest focus of Vladimir Putin’s campaign to exert pressure on Russia’s neighbors. Putin’s main objective seems to be dissuading Kyiv from joining NATO, a move that could position Western forces close to the Russian heartland.
There is little doubt that Russia’s vastly superior forces are capable of overrunning Ukraine, particularly the region east of the Dnieper river where many ethnic Russian live (see map). Moscow has been aiding a rebellion of ethnic Russians in the east against the central government since 2014, when it seized the Crimean Peninsula—the other area where ethnic Russians predominate.
However, Moscow’s military moves to date seem more calculated to influence the behavior of the Ukrainian government than actually occupy the country. Here are five reasons an invasion isn’t likely.
Source:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2021/12/06/quick-take-why-putin-wont-invade-ukraine/2022:
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Russia has told the United States at tense talks that it had no plans to invade Ukraine, as the two sides agreed to more efforts to keep tensions from turning into a full-blown confrontation.
After more than seven hours of negotiations in Geneva, the Russian and US negotiators on Monday both offered to keep talking, though there was no sign of a major breakthrough.
The high-stakes negotiations came amid fears of a Russian invasion of its pro-Western neighbour Ukraine, and with Moscow demanding wide-ranging concessions from Washington and its NATO allies.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said he had assured his US counterpart, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, that those fears were unfounded.
"We explained to our colleagues that we have no plans, no intentions to 'attack' Ukraine... There is no reason to fear any escalation in this regard," he told reporters after the talks.
Source:
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/russia-tells-us-at-tense-talks-that-it-has-no-intentions-to-invade-ukraine/ecc47cb6-ac0a-42a6-a1d4-bb283e0baac1Now:

Source:
https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1493511719813062656