Is the diplomatic channel still possible between Ukraine and Russia? Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden agreed to participate in a summit proposed by Emmanuel Macron to try to resolve the crisis, but the Kremlin ruled on Monday that it was “premature” to speak of a summit of the two presidents.
Separately, satellite images that were released by a US company on Sunday show new deployments of Russian troops and military equipment on the Ukrainian border. This does not encourage a solution of the conflict through negotiations.
New Russian deployments
These images show “multiple new field deployments of armored equipment and troops” from existing military sites in forests and fields about 14 to 30 km from the Russian-Ukrainian border, said US satellite imagery company Maxar in an email.
This Maxar satellite image taken and released on February 20, 2022 shows an armor battalion heading south near Soloti, Russia
(Photo by Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies / AFP)
These new photos taken on Sunday appear to show tracks of vehicles crossing snow-covered fields, surrounded by woods and lined with roads. You can also see several buildings there.
Convoys of armored equipment
Analysis of images from Sunday and others taken on February 13 indicate movement of troops and equipment near three locations in southwestern Russia, according to the Colorado-based company.
“Today most of the combat units and support equipment in Soloti have left the scene and you can see many vehicle tracks and a few convoys of armored equipment throughout the area,” Maxar said. were also deployed east of the nearby town of Valuyki, Russia, in a field about 15 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border.”
This Maxar satellite image taken on February 19, 2022 and released on February 20, 2022 shows an overview of a new deployment east of Valuyki, Russia.
(Photo by Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies / AFP)
“In addition, a number of new deployments on the ground are also seen northwest of Belgorod (about 30 kilometers from the border with Ukraine), with much of the equipment and troops positioned in or near the forest areas,” the US firm said. “Other company-sized units are deployed in agricultural and/or industrial areas.”
This Maxar satellite image taken and released on February 20, 2022 shows the deployment along the treeline near Belgorod, Russia.
(Photo by Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies / AFP)
Half the troops in attack position
In recent weeks, Russia has placed more than 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, according to estimates by the United States and its Western allies, raising fears in Washington of an imminent invasion of Ukraine. “40 to 50% (of the troops) are in an attack position. They have deployed in a tactical assembly in the last 48 hours,” a US official told reporters on Friday, insisting on anonymity.
Moscow denies any attack plan, but demands guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO and that Western powers will withdraw their forces from Eastern Europe, which the United States and its allies refuse.