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Ukraine crisis: Russian troops on border spark US alarm as fears of invasion grow Ukraine crisis: Russian President Vladimir Putin phones US President Barack Obama to discuss 'a diplomatic path'
(about 2 hours later)
The United States is expressing fresh alarm about a build-up of Russian troops along the border with eastern Ukraine amid uncertainty as to the actual numbers involved and their purpose.The United States is expressing fresh alarm about a build-up of Russian troops along the border with eastern Ukraine amid uncertainty as to the actual numbers involved and their purpose.
While Moscow has said the soldiers are merely involved in military manoeuvres, fears are growing in Washington that preparations may be under way for fresh incursions into parts of eastern Ukraine in the wake of the annexation earlier this month of Crimea. US officials believe that the positions of the troops are being deliberately concealed and that supply lines for a possible invasion have already been established.While Moscow has said the soldiers are merely involved in military manoeuvres, fears are growing in Washington that preparations may be under way for fresh incursions into parts of eastern Ukraine in the wake of the annexation earlier this month of Crimea. US officials believe that the positions of the troops are being deliberately concealed and that supply lines for a possible invasion have already been established.
President Barack Obama told CBS News that he could not tell what Moscow’s intentions are and urged the Kremlin to pull its troops back to “de-escalate the situation”. The massing of its soldiers may “be an effort to intimidate Ukraine or it may be [that Russia] has additional plans,” he said. The concern comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin called US President Barack Obama on Friday to discuss a US diplomatic proposal for Ukraine, to which Mr OBama suggested that Russia put a "concrete response in writing," a White House spokesperson said in a statement.
Before the call, Mr Obama told CBS News that he could not tell what Moscow’s intentions are and urged the Kremlin to pull its troops back to “de-escalate the situation”. The massing of its soldiers may “be an effort to intimidate Ukraine or it may be [that Russia] has additional plans,” he said.
The Pentagon believes that roughly 50,000 Russian soldiers may now be in position in Crimea itself and along Ukraine’s eastern border. Such a force could be used for lightning strikes into parts of eastern Ukraine which have large Russian populations. The Pentagon believes that roughly 50,000 Russian soldiers may now be in position in Crimea itself and along Ukraine’s eastern border. Such a force could be used for lightning strikes into parts of eastern Ukraine which have large Russian populations. 
Mr Obama attributed the taking of Crimea, which has triggered the worst East-West stand-off since the Cold War, to a long-festering sulk on the part of Mr Putin. “I think he’s been willing to show a deeply held grievance about what he considers to be the loss of the Soviet Union,” Mr Obama said as he left Rome for Saudi Arabia after days of meetings in Europe dominated by discussions of the crisis.Mr Obama attributed the taking of Crimea, which has triggered the worst East-West stand-off since the Cold War, to a long-festering sulk on the part of Mr Putin. “I think he’s been willing to show a deeply held grievance about what he considers to be the loss of the Soviet Union,” Mr Obama said as he left Rome for Saudi Arabia after days of meetings in Europe dominated by discussions of the crisis.
“You would have thought that after a couple of decades there’d be an awareness on the part of any Russian leader that the path forward is not to revert back to the kinds of practices that were so prevalent during the Cold War,” Mr Obama added, “but in fact to move forward with further integration with the world economy and to be a responsible international citizen.”“You would have thought that after a couple of decades there’d be an awareness on the part of any Russian leader that the path forward is not to revert back to the kinds of practices that were so prevalent during the Cold War,” Mr Obama added, “but in fact to move forward with further integration with the world economy and to be a responsible international citizen.”
Vladimir Putin meets newly promoted officers yesterday from the Russian armed forces, which he praised for their role in Crimea (Getty Images) Any further land-grabs by Mr Putin would be in spite of efforts by Mr Obama and the EU to isolate him diplomatically and financially. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said Moscow should heed the easy passage on Thursday of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the taking of Crimea, even if it had no legal teeth.Vladimir Putin meets newly promoted officers yesterday from the Russian armed forces, which he praised for their role in Crimea (Getty Images) Any further land-grabs by Mr Putin would be in spite of efforts by Mr Obama and the EU to isolate him diplomatically and financially. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said Moscow should heed the easy passage on Thursday of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the taking of Crimea, even if it had no legal teeth.
The St Petersburg-based Bank Rossiya conceded publicly that it had been forced to give up all its foreign-currency business and execute only rouble-expressed transactions as a result of US sanctions directed against it because of the Crimea annexation. The US Congress meanwhile is expected early next week to pass a new law extending $1bn in loan guarantees to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia.The St Petersburg-based Bank Rossiya conceded publicly that it had been forced to give up all its foreign-currency business and execute only rouble-expressed transactions as a result of US sanctions directed against it because of the Crimea annexation. The US Congress meanwhile is expected early next week to pass a new law extending $1bn in loan guarantees to Ukraine and new sanctions on Russia.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that Moscow has taken “retaliatory measures” to Western sanctions, “which are largely tit-for-tat”. He wouldn’t elaborate on the new targets.Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that Moscow has taken “retaliatory measures” to Western sanctions, “which are largely tit-for-tat”. He wouldn’t elaborate on the new targets.
In a Kremlin ceremony meanwhile, Mr Putin celebrated the taking of Crimea. “The recent events in Crimea were a serious test,” Mr Putin was seen declaring on state television. “They demonstrated both the completely new capabilities of our armed forces and the high morale of the personnel.”In a Kremlin ceremony meanwhile, Mr Putin celebrated the taking of Crimea. “The recent events in Crimea were a serious test,” Mr Putin was seen declaring on state television. “They demonstrated both the completely new capabilities of our armed forces and the high morale of the personnel.”
The US State Department has played down suggestions by Ukraine’s ambassador to the US that as many as 100,000 Russian soldiers now threaten his country. But Washington accepts that the numbers are none the less growing.The US State Department has played down suggestions by Ukraine’s ambassador to the US that as many as 100,000 Russian soldiers now threaten his country. But Washington accepts that the numbers are none the less growing.