According to the American newspaper, family members of Russian diplomats were taken to Moscow at the beginning of the year, and the evacuation will continue in the coming days.Russia took some people out of the embassy in Kiev – media / photo from UNIAN

Russia has begun evacuating people from its diplomatic missions in Ukraine. 

The American newspaper The New York Times writes about this  , citing its own sources.

According to journalists, on January 5, 18 people left Ukraine by bus – mostly the children and wives of Russian diplomats. They were taken by bus to Moscow, SBU sources told the newspaper. According to them, another 30 people from the embassy in Kiev and the Lvov consulate are expected to leave in the coming days. Russian diplomats in other Ukrainian cities have allegedly been ordered to prepare for their departure. Washington is also aware of these actions.

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Among the possible reasons, the newspaper highlights three: propaganda, preparations for a possible invasion, or a ruse. 

Officials in Washington say Putin has yet to make a final decision about another invasion of Ukraine.

The threat of Russian invasion of Ukraine

After the failure in negotiations with the US and NATO on “security guarantees,” Russia refused to remove its troops from the border . Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow that Russia was “forced” to leave its troops near Ukraine because it “cannot put up with a NATO invasion.”

In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry began to blackmail the EU with a “difficult scenario” for Ukraine. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov claimed that Putin was being advised to “finish” the Ukraine issue . He did not specify the details of the “scenario”, because even this could “destabilize” the situation.

The White House still does not know what Putin is up to, but hopes for a diplomatic settlement of the crisis on the Russian-Ukrainian border.

Putin began to pull Russian troops to the borders of Ukraine in the spring of 2021, the situation escalated in November 2021. Western and Ukrainian intelligence confirms the Kremlin’s offensive plans. For a new invasion, Russia can use at least 100,000 troops. This can happen as early as winter.

At the same time, the Pentagon noted that before the offensive, Russia may try to  conduct a special operation in eastern Ukraine against its own occupying forces in order to have a reason to send troops.

(C)UNIAN 2022