More than 100,000 Russian troops in attack vehicles painted with “invasion stripes” were on their way to the border with Ukraine on Wednesday, raising fears of war between neighboring countries.
The advancing force includes 1,300 battle tanks, 3,700 drones, 1,300 artillery and mortar units and 380 multiple launch missile systems, according to documents leaked to The Daily Mirror.
Tensions between the countries have intensified after Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean area in 2014; an attempt by Moscow to keep NATO away from its borders. Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but support for the organization has increased in recent years and the country is linked to many NATO countries, including the US.
Kiev has claimed 14,000 people have died in the ongoing conflict, and many fear Russian President Vladimir Putin believes the COVID-19 pandemic is the right time to attack and control large areas of the country, the report said. .
The appearance of painted stripes on Russian armored vehicles heading towards the front lines reminded military experts of similar stripes on tanks used by the Soviet army during the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia, The Mirror reports. The stripes are used to deter own fire.
The military exercise could also be seen as a challenge for the US, as President Biden is expected to impose sanctions on Russia for interference in the elections, hacking and bonuses to troops in Afghanistan.
The Biden administration has sent warships to the Black Sea to defend itself against the military build-up, and Russia has warned the US to resign.
The Kremlin claims it protects pro-Russian citizens in Eastern Ukraine and warns of the return of “Nazi Europe,” the article said.