Tensions build as Russia moves troops to Ukrainian border

Concern is mounting in Washington as U.S. intelligence reports that nearly 100,000 Russian troops have accumulated along Ukraine’s western border.

According to the defense-intelligence firm Janes, Russia has been moving troops and equipment into Crimea since last week, following the deployment of tanks and other heavy weaponry to the Voronezh region of southwestern Russia.

The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine on Wednesday warned of “unusual Russian military activity” along Ukraine's eastern border and in the annexed peninsula of Crimea, telling U.S. citizens not to travel there, The Hill reported.

“U.S. citizens are reminded the security conditions along the border may change with little or no notice,” the embassy said. 

Ukraine, a strategic U.S. ally, warned that Russia could invade as early as January – much like when it annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Kyiv’s main goal is to prevent “further aggressive actions” from Russia.

"To do this, Moscow must clearly understand what political, economic and human losses it will incur in the event of a new stage of aggression," Kuleba said.

“Our concern is that Russia may make the serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014, when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory and did so claiming — falsely — that it was provoked,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier this month. 

U.S. officials have made clear that they are prepared to take action against any Russian aggression, however.

“We know the playbook of trying to cite some illusory provocation from Ukraine or any other country and using that as an excuse for what Russia plans to do all along,” Blinken said while on an official visit to Senegal.

The Biden administration has begun exploring options to deter Putin from escalating tensions and is reportedly considering sending military advisors and weapons to Ukraine – a new sanctions package is allegedly also being explored.

But although the State Department has not publicly discussed plans to assist Ukraine, one official told The Hill that the administration has “demonstrated that the United States is willing to use a number of tools to address harmful Russian actions and we will not hesitate from making use of those and other tools in the future.” 

Officials have also begun sharing intelligence with key European allies.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki  told reporters that the administration has “had extensive interactions with our European allies and partners in recent weeks, including with Ukraine.”

Psaki also noted that the U.S. “also had held discussions with Russian officials about Ukraine and U.S.-Russian relations in general.” 

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley spoke via telephone on Tuesday with Russia’s top military officer, Gen. Valery Gerasimov.

The two generals discussed “several security-related issues of concern,” Col. Dave Butler, Joint Staff spokesperson, reported. 

Russia, however, continues to deny it has any intention to move troops across its border into Ukraine.

According to Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the amassing of troops and equipment doesn’t “pose a threat to anyone and should not cause concern to anyone,” but rather stated that a “targeted information campaign” from Western nations is “building up tension.”

Military assistance from the U.S. could lead “to a further aggravation of the situation on the border line,” Peskov warned.