Putin slams UK, allies of 'demonising' Russia after 'massive consequences' warning

Denying that Russia has plans of launching a military offensive military in order to seize Ukrainian territory, President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, Dec. 12 accused Britain and its allies of ‘demonizing’ Russia on a global platform. Russian leader reacted strongly against the UK’s warning to Moscow at the G7 ministerial conference, where British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Russia’s invasion of Kyiv will have ‘massive consequences.’

As per the reports, the Russian president’s official spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, spoke on behalf of the Moscow leader as he said that UK and allies were furthering their aims of demonizing Russia once again. Kremlin had also repeatedly accused Washington of their role in the “provocation.”

Joe Biden administration's rising concern about a Russian invasion of Ukraine is based, in part, on US intelligence that Moscow is planning a military offensive involving an estimated 1,75,000 troops as early as next year. The officials estimated the timeline based on the heavy build-up of troops, tanks, and artillery massing on Ukraine’s frontier. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had also echoed concerns of military conflict, citing his country’s intelligence service that unveiled Russia’s coup d'etat plans on Kyiv. At a news conference in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, Zelensky told reporters that he has received intel, as well the audio intercepts prove that the Russian President was planning to overthrow him.

UK, allies send dire warning to Russia, mull economic sanctions 

In a dire warning to Russia at the G7 summit, UK’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, as the host in Liverpool, said: “We have sent a very clear, united message to Vladimir Putin. We want Russia to stop its aggression with respect to Ukraine,” Associated Press reported. She insisted that the group of seven countries was looking at all the options including economic sanctions against Russia. Foreign ministers from the United States, Britain, and the rest of the G-7, joined by the European Union’s foreign affairs chief, issued a joint statement declaring themselves “united in our condemnation of Russia’s military buildup and aggressive rhetoric towards Ukraine.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the broadcaster NBC News: “We are prepared to take the kinds of steps we have refrained from taking in the past.” G7, led by the UK, called on Russia to “de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities.”

“Any use of force to change borders is strictly prohibited under international law. Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost in response,” the joint statement said.