The Hill
Kremlin says repeated predictions of Ukraine invasion may have ‘detrimental consequences’
February 20, 2022
The Kremlin spokesperson on Sunday warned that repeated suggestions by Western governments of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine may have adverse consequences.
Speaking with Russian state television, Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin takes no notice of such statements.
“The fact is that this directly leads to an increase in tension. And when tension is escalated to the maximum, as it is now, for example, on the line of contact [in eastern Ukraine], then any spark, any unplanned incident or any minor planned provocation can lead to irreparable consequences,” Peskov told Rossiya 1 state TV, according to Reuters.
“So all this has – may have – detrimental consequences. The daily exercise of announcing a date for Russia to invade Ukraine is a very bad practice,” Peskov added.
Peskov was responding to remarks from President Biden who said Friday he was “convinced” that Putin had decided on whether he would invade Ukraine.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated much of the same predictions on Sunday, saying current intelligence indicated that Putin was planning on following through with an invasion.
“Everything we’re seeing tells us that the decision we believe President Putin has made to invade is moving forward,” Blinken said.
Up to 190,000 Russian troops are believed to have amassed along Ukraine’s borders. On Sunday, Belarus announced that joint military exercises with Russia that were meant to end this week would be extended.