EU foreign policy chief says 150,000 Russian troops deployed at Ukrainian border

The European Union on Monday said that Russia has deployed roughly 150,000 armed troops along the border of Ukraine and in Crimea. Calling it the highest such military deployment, Josep Borrell said that it will only take a “spark” to escalate a confrontation between the forces of the two countries on the border with heightened tensions. At a virtual meeting of the EU foreign ministers, Borrell said that Russia’s massive military build-up, its hostile moves in eastern Ukraine, “all kinds of warfare.” and the installation of military field hospitals were “a matter of concern”. As he described the situation as “dangerous”, Borrell said that the risk of further escalation, “it’s evident.” 

“It is the highest military deployment of the Russian army on the Ukrainian borders ever. It’s clear that it’s a matter of concern when you deploy a lot of troops,” Borrell told reporters at the live-streamed conference. “Well, a spark can jump here or there,” he warned. “The situation in the Ukrainian border is really very much worrisome, we invited the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to meet with us,” EU’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said. He further commended Ukraine for its restrained response and urged Russia to de-escalate and defuse military tensions.

Borrell reiterated that the message from the world’s leaders has been very much clear, “a complete reiteration of strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said. This includes non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and the request for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. “We will continue supporting the efforts of the Normandy format,” said Borrell. 

“The most important message is our strong support to Ukraine and our concern about the Russian military build-up that has to stop in Crimea and on the border,” the EU diplomat said. 

[Ukrainian soldiers guard a checkpoint at the town Shshastya. Credit: AP]

'We call on Russia to withdraw troops,' says Borrell

Borrell did not disclose any details about the location of these Russian troops, the tally for which, he said, was his “reference figure”.Ukrainian Defence Minister Andriy Taran, last week, told a presser that the troops were roughly 110,000 in the estimate. “All in all, the relations with Russia, are not improving, but the contrary, the tension is increasing in different fronts,” Borrell said. “We call on Russia to withdraw their troops,” he warned. He informed that the European Union will attend the Summit of the Crimea Platform on August 23 to ramp up diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity. Borrell added that the Czech Foreign Minister Jan Hamáček briefed the EU on the announcement about the expulsion of 18 Russian diplomats linked to the 2014 explosions in an ammunition depot, whom it identified as Russian military service agents. "The European Union stands in unity and solidarity with the Czech Republic," he said.