{"id":21738,"date":"2021-04-27T19:21:39","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T19:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/04\/27\/russian-defense-chief-scoffs-at-western-warnings-on-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:17:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:17:16","slug":"russian-defense-chief-scoffs-at-western-warnings-on-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2021\/04\/27\/russian-defense-chief-scoffs-at-western-warnings-on-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian defense chief scoffs at Western warnings on Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MOSCOW \u2014 Russia\u2019s defense chief said Tuesday that a troop pullback<\/a> from areas near Ukraine had nothing to do with Western pressure, adding that Moscow will continue doing what is necessary to protect itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also voiced concern about NATO forces\u2019 presence near Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent Russian troop buildup near Ukraine<\/a> worried the West, which strongly urged the Kremlin to withdraw its forces. Shoigu, who ordered the drawdown on Thursday after massive drills<\/a>, scoffed at the Western calls as inappropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome even warned us that our activities on our own territory will have consequences,\u201d Shoigu said. \u201cI would like to emphasize that we don\u2019t see such warnings as acceptable and will do everything that is necessary to ensure the security of our borders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He pointed to the deployment of NATO troops near Russia as a cause for Moscow\u2019s concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe U.S. and NATO activities to increase combat readiness and build up their presence have contributed to an increase in military threats,\u201d Shoigu said, noting that Moscow was closely monitoring the deployment of U.S. troops and weapons in Europe as part of NATO\u2019s Defender Europe 2021 drills<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu watches drills from a military helicopter April 22, 2021, in Crimea. (Vadim Savitsky\/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Russian Black Sea Fleet said Tuesday that its flagship, the Moskva missile cruiser, has left its port of Sevastopol in Crimea for practice missile launches. The navy said that its assets were monitoring the U.S. Coast Guard vessel Hamilton<\/a> that sailed into the Black Sea Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, Russia closed off wide sectors of the Black Sea<\/a> near Crimea to foreign warships until November, shrugging off Ukrainian and Western complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\t