| The Australian | - |
RUSSIAN
forces could slice their way across Ukraine and achieve a series of key
military objectives in little more than three days, NATO has warned.
Russia could seize Ukraine in just three days, Nato warns: Supreme military commander says Putin has built up force on border big enough for full-blown invasion
- US General Philip Breedlove warns Russia's troops are 'ready to go'
- Putin has not pulled forces back after seizing Crimea despite pledging to
- Russia said it regretted tone of Nato’s comments as throwback to Cold War
- Pro-Russian demonstrations across east Ukraine, with crowds asking to be saved from 'fascists'
US Air Force General Philip Breedlove said Vladimir Putin has built up a force on Ukraine’s borders that is big enough for a full-blown invasion and ‘ready to go’.
He spoke as diplomatic concerns grew over the Russian strongman’s failure to pull his forces back after seizing Crimea – despite pledging to do so.
General Breedlove said: ‘This is a very large and very capable and very ready force.’
Vladimir Putin sent troops into Crimea after Moscow-backed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was toppled in February
He said it had aircraft and helicopter support, field hospitals and electronic warfare capabilities – ‘the entire suite that would be required to successfully have an incursion into Ukraine, should the decision be made’.
He added: ‘We think it is ready to go and we think it could accomplish its objectives in between three and five days.’
Russia said it regretted the tone of Nato’s comments as a throwback to the Cold War.
‘The language . . . rather resembles the verbal jousting of the Cold War era,’ foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.
Russia has said it will not invade Ukraine, but Mr Putin sent troops into Crimea after Moscow-backed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich was toppled in February. He has said he will protect ethnic Russians in nearby countries.
There have been pro-Russian demonstrations across east Ukraine, with crowds asking to be saved from ‘fascists’ they say have taken over in Kiev.
Moscow wants these areas to have more autonomy, a move bitterly rejected by the new government, which says it would break up Ukraine.
General Breedlove warned that Moscow might seek to invade eastern Ukraine, establish a land corridor to Crimea, seize the Black Sea port of Odessa or even seize land to connect Russia to Transdniestria, the mainly Russian-speaking, separatist region of Moldova to the west of Ukraine.
Build-up: Russian solders prepare to move a
Russian T-72 tank at the Ostryakovo railway station near Simferopol,
Crimea, on Monday
On the move: Russian armoured personnel carriers pictured heading into Crimea in February
Nato foreign ministers meeting in Brussels this week asked military commanders to draw up plans to reinforce Nato members in Eastern Europe.
Nato will hold joint exercises with countries in the area and is looking at the readiness of its rapid reaction force.
Its Secretary General Mr Rasmussen said: ‘If Russia were to intervene further in Ukraine, I wouldn’t hesitate to call it an historic mistake. That would lead to further international isolation of Russia.
‘It would have far reaching consequences for the relations between Russia and . . . the Western world. It would be a miscalculation with huge strategic implications.’
U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, the
Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (second left), speaks to colleagues
during a meeting in Brussels yesterday
The warnings came as Viktor Yanukovich announced he was ‘wrong’ to invite Russian troops into Crimea. The ousted president said he has met with Mr Putin and still hopes to see him hand the region back.
‘Crimea is a tragedy, a major tragedy,’ he said. ‘We must . . . search for ways to return to Crimea on any conditions.’
Russia annexed Crimea last month following a rushed referendum held after Russian troops took the region. Ukraine and the West have rejected the move as illegal.
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