Ukraine crisis: Russia's Putin claims 'genocide' taking place in Donbas but gives no proof

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday baselessly claimed that “genocide” is occurring in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine where Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting a war with the Ukrainian troops since 2014. During a joint press conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Putin said, “In our view what is now happening in Donbas is genocide." Russian President’s remarks on Tuesday came after in December, he said that the conflict in Donbas “looks like genocide”.

According to BBC, Putin has previously made several similar remarks regarding Donbas over the issues of discrimination against Russian speakers beyond its borders, including many living in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. In December 2021, the Kremlin leader had said that ‘Russophobia’ was the first step towards genocide even though his remarks are often dismissed as propaganda.

Putin’s remarks came in the backdrop of intensified crisis between Moscow and Kyiv. The United States and its allies have been pushing the ‘threat’ of a Russian invasion into Ukraine considering the amassing of troops by Moscow outside the border of its neighbouring country. Most recently, the Russian defence ministry had said that it had pulled back some of its troops from the Ukrainian border. But, US President Joe Biden later said that Russian troops are still in a “threatening position”. 

Apart from claiming the situation in Ukraine’s breakaway regions as ‘genocide’, Putin also noted that “of course” Russia did not want a war. He called for the resolution to the conflict through the Minsk peace process. The Russian President said that Moscow decided to partially withdraw the troops deployed near Ukraine border as he saw some room for further discussion with the West on Moscow’s security proposals. But, the Russian President noted that there was no constructive response to its security demands. 

Biden says ‘US prepared no matter what’

As US Senators expressed ‘solidarity’ to Ukraine, US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that there was still some time to resolve the crisis in Ukraine through diplomatic measures. However, he also warned that sanctions are “ready to go” if Russian troops attack the former Soviet Union member. Biden even noted that despite Russia’s claims of pulling back its troops, Washington and its allies are yet to “verify” the withdrawal of around 150,000 troops deployed by Moscow along Ukraine’s border. 

"Analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position," Biden said.

“The United States is prepared no matter what happens. We are ready with diplomacy…And we are ready to respond decisively to Russian attack on Ukraine, which is still very much a possibility,” he also said warning of “powerful sanctions”.

(Image: AP)