{"id":61608,"date":"2022-02-03T15:39:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T15:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/02\/03\/more-russian-forces-mass-near-border-but-still-not-ready-to-attack-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T14:11:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T14:11:11","slug":"more-russian-forces-mass-near-border-but-still-not-ready-to-attack-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/2022\/02\/03\/more-russian-forces-mass-near-border-but-still-not-ready-to-attack-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"More Russian forces mass near border, but still not ready to attack: Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though Russia continues to pour troops into areas surrounding Ukraine, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2022\/01\/27\/russia-not-yet-ready-for-full-scale-attack-says-ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\">it still remains unready<\/a> to carry out a full-scale invasion, according to the latest Ukrainian military assessment shared with Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Russian military contingent near the Ukrainian border is insufficient to carry out a large-scale armed aggression against Ukraine,\u201d said the assessment, the second time in as many weeks Ukraine military officials made that judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe likelihood of more substantive escalation on the Ukrainian boarders as [of] today is viewed as low,\u201d according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are now more than 136,000 Russian troops, including more than 115,000 ground forces, arrayed around Ukraine, according to the assessment. That represents an increase of about 6,000 ground troops in the last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The assessment comes as the U.S. announced it is sending <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/ukraine\/2022\/02\/02\/biden-sending-more-troops-to-europe-amid-ukraine-tension\/\" target=\"_blank\">2,000 more troops to Europe and moving another 1,000 stationed in Germany closer to Ukraine<\/a>. That\u2019s in addition to 8,500 U.S. troops placed on heightened alert to be deployed in case of a further Russian invasion and any request by NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2022\/02\/02\/biden-sending-more-troops-to-europe-amid-ukraine-tension\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/3123214.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Biden sending 2,000 more troops to Europe amid Ukraine tension<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The military moves come amid stalled talks with Russia over its military buildup at Ukraine\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe still don\u2019t believe [Russian President Vladimir Putin] has made a decision to further invade Ukraine,\u201d Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday. U.S. defense leaders warned Friday that Putin \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/ukraine\/2022\/01\/28\/russia-can-now-attack-ukraine-with-very-little-warning-pentagon-leaders-warn\/\" target=\"_blank\">clearly now has the ability<\/a>\u201d to have his forces invade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/ukraine\/\">Ukraine<\/a> with \u201cvery, very little warning,\u201d but that U.S., NATO and Ukrainian forces stand ready to respond if that happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern Thursday about the significant movement of Russian military forces into Belarus, calling it \u201cthe biggest Russian deployment there since the Cold War.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More high-level diplomacy was expected in Moscow and Kyiv amid deep uncertainty about Russia\u2019s intentions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is hosting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks in the Ukrainian capital. Russian President Vladimir Putin<b> <\/b>is expected to meet with his Argentine counterpart Alberto Fernandez in Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zelenskyy has criticized the dire warnings of an \u201cimminent\u201d Russian invasion <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2022\/02\/02\/white-house-not-using-imminent-russia-threat-00004820\" target=\"_blank\">coming from the White House<\/a>, and late last week urged calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t consider the situation now more tense than before,\u201d the Ukrainian president told reporters Jan. 28. \u201dThere is a feeling abroad that there is war here. That\u2019s not the case.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1348\" height=\"768\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/001_Map-graphic-of-image-locations_Maxar.JPG.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-98224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/001_Map-graphic-of-image-locations_Maxar.JPG.jpg 1348w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/001_Map-graphic-of-image-locations_Maxar.JPG.jpg?resize=300,171 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/001_Map-graphic-of-image-locations_Maxar.JPG.jpg?resize=768,438 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/001_Map-graphic-of-image-locations_Maxar.JPG.jpg?resize=1024,583 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1348px) 100vw, 1348px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This map shows the locations of Russian troops near Ukraine shown in new satellite images. (Satellite image \u00a92022 Maxar Technologies)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Russian troop buildup now includes 67 Battalion Tactical Groups, according to the assessment. That is an increase of nine BTGs from the previous assessment and represents nearly 40 percent of such Russian units. There are about <a href=\"https:\/\/tass.com\/defense\/1324461\">170 BTGs operational in the Russian army today<\/a>, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told the Tass news organization in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA battalion tactical group is a temporary operationally flexible formation,\u201d according to Tass. BTGs are \u201cset up on the basis of a battalion and attached artillery, air defense, engineering and logistics support units for combat operations as part of motor rifle and tank brigades. Aviation groups, special operations forces and other units can also be attached to a battalion tactical group to accomplish assigned missions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of these troops, there are now about 30,000 in Belarus, a Ukrainian military official told Military Times. It comes ahead of a joint Russian-Belarus training exercise called \u201cAllied Resolve 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Russians have tested logistical connections from the far east to the western boarder of Belarus,\u201d said the source, a Urkainian military official, speaking on condition of anonymity to share information. The Russians are bringing with them multiple launch rocket systems, Iskander short-range ballistic missile systems, tanks, armor personnel carriers and other wheeled transport, communications and electronic warfare systems as well as the S-400 anti-aircraft systems as part of a bilateral exercise with Belarus, the source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/ukraine\/2022\/02\/02\/satellite-images-show-russian-troops-training-more-deployments-around-ukraine\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/30_tanks-on-firing-range_pogonovo-training-area_26jan2022_wv3.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Satellite images show Russian troops training, more deployments around Ukraine<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Maxar Technologies has collected images over the last several months to track Russian military deployments.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russia\u2019s troop buildup in Belarus involves more troops and military equipment than at any time in the past 30 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo, we speak about a wide range of modern military capabilities. All this will be combined with Russia\u2019s annual nuclear forces exercise, expected to take place this month,\u201d Stoltenberg said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another three Ukrainian troops were wounded in the past week during 12 artillery attacks by Russian separatists, according the Ukrainian assessment. More than 14,000 people have been killed since Russia annexed Crimea and invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Minsk on Thursday to check on preparations for major Russia-Belarus war games scheduled for Feb. 10-20. Shoigu met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Speaking about the drills, Lukashenko said the goal was \u201cto reinforce the border with Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, Belarus\u2019 defense ministry accused Ukraine of violating the country\u2019s airspace with a drone last month. The ministry summoned Ukraine\u2019s defense attach\u00e9 and handed him a note of protest over \u201cfrequent violations of the state border\u201d of Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4198\" height=\"2670\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22031448540459.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-75565\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22031448540459.jpg.jpg 4198w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22031448540459.jpg.jpg?resize=300,191 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22031448540459.jpg.jpg?resize=768,488 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22031448540459.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,651 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22031448540459.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,977 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP22031448540459.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1303 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4198px) 100vw, 4198px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ukrainian soldiers examine their tanks at a military unit close to Kharkiv, Ukraine, Monday, Jan. 31, 2022. (Andrew Marienko\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kyiv rejected the allegation and accused Belarus of working with Russia to try to further unsettle Ukraine. \u201cWe call on Minsk to refrain from playing along with Russia\u2019s destabilizing activities,\u201d foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stoltenberg called on Russia to \u201cde-escalate,\u201d and repeated warnings from the West that \u201cany further Russian aggression would have severe consequences and carry a heavy price.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NATO has no intention of deploying troops to Ukraine should Russia invade, but it has begun to reinforce the defenses of nearby member countries \u2014 notably Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The 30-nation military alliance also plans to beef up its defenses in the Black Sea region near Bulgaria and Romania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stoltenberg also welcomed President Joe Biden\u2019s decision on Wednesday to send 2,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland and Germany and shifting 1,000 more from Germany to Romania, demonstrating to both allies and foes Washington\u2019s commitment to NATO\u2019s eastern flank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are committed to finding a political solution to the crisis, but we have to be prepared for the worst,\u201d Stoltenberg said, and he welcomed other recent offers of troops and equipment from several allies. Russia objects to the troop move and has described it as \u201cdestructive.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThe likelihood of more substantive escalation on the Ukrainian boarders as for today is viewed as low,\u201d according to the Ukrainian Ministry of 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