The number of Russian troops massed along Ukraine’s borders has increased by approximately 7,000 in recent days, the United States alleged Wednesday evening, despite claims from Moscow it was pulling back.
The US claim came as a senior Biden administration official said the increase proved that Russia’s assertion of withdrawal was “false,” and suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s apparent warming to the notion of diplomacy is merely a guise.
“Every indication we have now is they mean only to publicly offer to talk, and make claims about de-escalation, while privately mobilizing for war,” the official said.
Wednesday’s new numbers would mean the totality of Russian forces at the border now exceeds the 150,000 figure President Joe Biden shared on Tuesday.
In a speech from the East Room, Biden allowed that a Russian troop withdrawal would be “good,” but quickly noted he’d seen no evidence to suggest such a pullback was indeed underway.
“Our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position,” Biden said. “And the fact remains right now Russia has more than 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine and Belarus and along Ukraine’s border.”
Earlier in the week, Putin claimed that Russia was sending some troops back to base after the completion of training drills in Crimea, the Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014.
Leaders from Europe and the US, however, expressed doubt about the claim.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that the alliance had not yet seen “any sign of de-escalation on the ground,” adding that “signs from Moscow” that diplomacy should continue were grounds for cautious optimism.
US Secretary Antony Blinken concurred, saying that there is “a difference between what Russia says and what it does.”
“What we’re seeing is no meaningful pullback,” Blinken added.
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