The Kremlin appears to be escalating its rhetoric surrounding the simmering conflict with Ukraine. As the first excerpt from the official Kremlin.ru site points out, in July, President Putin, in a long essay on Russian-Ukrainian relations, reiterated his stance that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Putin argued that the West is trying to weaken Russia by gaining a foothold in Ukraine, claiming that “we are witnessing [in Ukraine] not just complete dependence but direct external control, including the supervision of the Ukrainian authorities, security services and armed forces by foreign advisers, military development of the territory of Ukraine and deployment of NATO infrastructure.”
The assertion that NATO is developing military infrastructure within Ukraine serves as the central thesis in the second excerpt from the popular daily, Komsomolskaya Pravda. Military journalist Viktor Baranets lists nine locations in Ukraine where NATO members have established military “training centers and training grounds,” despite the Ukrainian constitution forbidding “the stationing of foreign military bases.” After describing each of the training locations, Baranets states, “Ukraine is becoming a large NATO military base,” where “NATO members are stuffing their arms with weapons and equipment.” He catalogs the foreign military equipment provided to Ukraine, asserting, “all in all, more than 20 NATO countries participate in the armament of Ukraine.” Baranets claims, “Ukraine has become NATO’s military foothold… with a clear focus on ‘cleansing’ the Donbass and the forceful return of Crimea.” Echoing President Putin, Baranets concludes, “for Russia, Ukraine is not a foreign land. And Moscow will do whatever it must to keep this territory from joining NATO.”
The conclusion is obvious: all of Ukraine is becoming a large NATO military base.
Source: Vladimir Putin, “Об историческом единстве русских и украинцев (On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians),” Kremlin.ru (official Kremlin news website), 12 July 2021. http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66181
…This is what is actually happening. First of all, we are facing the creation of a climate of fear in Ukrainian society, aggressive rhetoric, indulging neo-Nazis and militarizing the country. Along with that we are witnessing not just complete dependence but direct external control, including the supervision of the Ukrainian authorities, security services and armed forces by foreign advisers, military ‘development’ of the territory of Ukraine and deployment of NATO infrastructure. It is no coincidence that the aforementioned flagrant law on ‘indigenous peoples’ was adopted under the cover of large-scale NATO exercises in Ukraine….
Source: Viktor Baranets, “НАТО втихую уже строит базы на Украине. Сколько их и где они спрятаны (NATO is already quietly building bases in Ukraine. How many and where are they hidden),” Komsomolskaya Pravda (popular, mostly pro-Kremlin source), 20 October 2021. https://www.kp.ru/daily/28345/4491907/
…After that conversation, I once again glanced at the constitution of Ukraine: “Article 17: The stationing of foreign military bases is not allowed on the territory of Ukraine.” …Well, when Kiev is poking its nose at the same 17th article of the constitution, the Ukrainian authorities smile slyly: the temporary military presence of foreigners is not prohibited there. And the “temporary” – has long been perennial!
…The conclusion is obvious: all of Ukraine is becoming a Large NATO Military Base. And this “backyard of the block” (as one of the British warriors tweeted) NATO members are stuffing their arms with weapons and equipment…. All in all, more than 20 NATO countries participate in the armament of Ukraine.
All these foreign military bases and NATO training centers not only openly train Ukraine’s 200,000-strong army for a future war with Russia, but also serve as a kind of detachment….
…Ukraine becomes NATO’s military foothold. As we can see, the bloc has settled there completely…. And with a clear focus on “cleansing” the Donbass and the forceful return of Crimea….
How will it all end?… In the event of a war, the United States will issue formidable warnings to Moscow, but will not engage in combat. For them, Ukraine is an important springboard, but not more important than Afghanistan. Washington will not risk the start of a nuclear conflict with Moscow because of it.
But for Russia, Ukraine is not a foreign land. And Moscow will do whatever it must to keep this territory from joining NATO….
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