Russia to US: Troop pullback takes time

MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Thursday rejected what it called “unfounded accusations” by the US and Nato that it was not withdrawing its forces from near Russia’s border with Ukraine, saying it takes time to wind down military exercises.

Moscow announced on Tuesday a partial force pullback, easing Western fears of a looming invasion of Ukraine, but the US and Nato said on Wednesday the Russian military presence there was actually growing, not diminishing.

A senior US administration official said the West detected that Russia had increased its force posture near Ukraine by 7,000 troops, with some arriving as recently as Wednesday, and that there had been a marked increase in false claims by Russians that the Kremlin might use as pretext for an invasion.

The official said those claims included reports of unmarked graves of civilians allegedly killed by Ukrainian forces, statements that the US and Ukraine are developing biological or chemical weapons and claims that the West is funneling in guerrillas to kill Ukrainians.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday that the window for a potential Russian attack on Ukraine remains open and warned a fabricated pretext for an incursion could include reports like the one about mass graves in the Donbas region, reported CNN.

“We are in the window where we believe an attack could begin at any time,” said Psaki.

A version of this claim was also repeated by Estonian foreign intelligence service which said on Wednesday that Russia is continuing to move troops to the Ukrainian border and will likely launch a “limited” military attack against the country.

US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a phone call on Wednesday underscored the importance of reinforcing Nato’s eastern flank if Moscow invades.