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Agencies

The Pentagon said it was monitoring the Ukraine region closely amid reports of a new build-up of Russian troops on the country’s border.
According to The Washington Post, US officials were concerned over unexplained movements of Russian military units in the area.
Videos posted on social media also show military trains and truck convoys moving tanks and missiles in Russia’s southwest near Ukraine.
Commercial satellite images taken by Maxar technologies on November 1 appear to show a build-up of Russian armoured units and troops near the Russian town of Yelnya, close to the Belarus border and about 300km (186 miles) north of the Ukraine border.
Russia test fires hypersonic Tsirkon missile from nuclear sub for first time
A US official, speaking on the basis of anonymity, confirmed that there had been some movement, though not as large as the surge in Moscow’s forces early this year.
“We’re aware of public reports of unusual Russian military activity near Ukraine,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Monday.
“We’re going to continue to consult with allies and partners on this issue … As we’ve said before, any escalatory or aggressive actions would be of great concern to the United States.”

Ukraine’s defence ministry however denied the report of Russian military build-up near its border.
“As of November 1, 2021, an additional transfer of Russian units, weapons and military equipment to the state border of Ukraine was not recorded,” the Ukrainian defence ministry said in a statement.
The Russian build-up comes just after US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin toured the Black Sea region, stopping in Nato partner states Ukraine and Georgia and alliance full member Romania, to express solidarity and build more support for confronting Russia in the area.
The US Army’s Iron Dome could be headed to Ukraine
Moscow has repeatedly voiced concerns over the deployment of Nato forces near Russian borders, describing it as a threat to its security. Russia and the alliance also have continuously accused each other of dangerous and provocative manoeuvres at sea and in the air.
Tensions between Moscow and the West have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, its support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine and other irritants.

Last month, Russia suspended its mission at Nato and ordered the closure of the alliance’s office in Moscow after Nato had withdrawn the accreditation of eight Russian officials to its Brussels headquarters, saying it believed they had been secretly working for Russian intelligence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday emphasised the need to strengthen the country’s air defences amid Nato’s military activities near Russia’s borders.
Tensions rise in Black Sea as Russian jets conduct ‘mock attacks’ on Dutch frigate
Speaking during a meeting with military officials and arms makers in the southern Russian city of Sochi, Putin specifically noted the deployment of Nato’s US-led missile defence components in Eastern Europe and increasingly frequent missions by Nato ships near Russian waters in the Baltic and Black seas.
“Even now, a US warship has entered the Black Sea, and we can see it in binoculars or crosshairs of our defence systems,” he said in an apparent reference to the deployment of the US destroyer USS Porter, which sailed into the Black Sea over the weekend and is to be joined this week by USS Mount Whitney, the flagship of the US 6th Fleet.
In June, Russia said one of its warships fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs in the path of British destroyer Defender to drive it away from Black Sea waters near the Crimean city of Sevastopol. Britain denied that account, insisted its ship wasn’t fired upon and said it was sailing in Ukrainian waters.
Agence France-Presse, Reuters, Associated Press


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Defence

US watching possible Russian military build-up near Ukraine amid Moscow-Nato tensions

This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies and taken on November 1, 2021 shows self propelled artillery and other equipment on the northern edge of the town of Yelnya, Russia. Photo: Maxar Technologies

This handout satellite image released by Maxar Technologies and taken on November 1, 2021 shows the presence of a large ground forces deployment on the northern edge of the town of Yelnya, Smolensk Oblast, Russia. - The Pentagon is monitoring the Ukraine region closely amid reports of a new buildup of Russian troops on the country's border, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on November 1. (Photo by Handout / Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Satellite image ©2021 Maxar Technologies " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - THE WATERMARK MAY NOT BE REMOVED/CROPPED / THE WATERMARK MAY NOT BE REMOVED/CROPPED

epa09533960 A handout photo taken from video footage made available on 20 October 2021 by Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation shows a view of US Air Force aircrafts from a Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet over the Black Sea. As Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation report, Russia scrambled two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to escort two US B-1B long-range multi-mission bombers and two US KC-135 refueling military aircrafts over the Black Sea on 19 October 2021. EPA-EFE/Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation /HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Russia test fires hypersonic Tsirkon missile from nuclear submarine for first time

The Severodvinsk nuclear submarine fired the missile in the Barents Sea. Photo: Russia Ministry of Defence

Tensions rise in Black Sea as Russian jets conduct ‘mock attacks’ on Dutch frigate

The Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen sets sail in the Bosphorus, on its way to the Black Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey on June 14. Photo: Reuters

In this grab taken from a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, a view of the British destroyer HMS Defender as it sails near Crimea in the Black Sea. The Russian military has launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes capable of carrying hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

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Pentagon responds to report of ‘unusual’ Russian military activity near Ukraine
Russian President Putin says Moscow must build up defences in view of Nato moves



Pentagon responds to report of irregular movements of equipment and personnel on Russia’s western flank.


US watching possible Russian military build-up near Ukraine amid Moscow-Nato tensions

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Pentagon responds to report of ‘unusual’ Russian military activity near Ukraine Russian President Putin says Moscow must build up defences in view of Nato moves

Pentagon responds to report of ‘unusual’ Russian military activity near Ukraine

Russian President Putin says Moscow must build up defences in view of Nato moves