Russia suspects America of behind attacks on a Russian airbase near Moscow. According to the Kremlin, it is impossible for Ukraine to carry out drone strikes at that distance. The base is located about 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian-Russian border.
Russia’s charge is rather vague, says Peter Wijninga, a defense specialist at the Center for Strategic Studies in The Hague. “Even the story was immediately dismissed as nonsense by the Americans.” According to Wijninga, the Russians are mainly targeting American intelligence on the precise location of the base and how to reach it by drones.
Russia has an interest in blaming the West for the escalation of the war. “The Kremlin wants to strengthen the enemy image of NATO and the West to increase support for the war.”
Live Blog | Day 287 of the war in Ukraine
Belarus
The sounds come from neighboring Belarus to move military equipment. However, an attack from Belarus on Ukraine is not to be expected, Wijninga thinks. President Lukashenko regularly offers to Putin lip service with all firm statements, but it goes no further. It is true that the Russians use Belarusian equipment. And a lot of Russian soldiers are also being trained there because their own facilities are under pressure because a lot of people have been drafted into the army.”
Putin indicated today that he will not announce a new mobilization, because 150,000 soldiers are already active in Ukraine. ‘Putin has formally said that the mobilization is ready, but this is widely disputed. Partly because the mobilization is still secretly going on,’ says Wijninga. The expected 300,000 mobilizers have not yet been reached and the system is not prepared for that either. The Russian defense is projected to recruit and train 130,000 people and the goal was double that. As a result, the system is now overloaded.’
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
