Civic Register
| 2.18.22
President Biden Says He’s ‘Convinced’ Putin Has Made the Decision to Invade Ukraine
How do you feel about Biden’s comments?
What’s the story?
- President Joe Biden spoke at the White House Friday and said that the U.S. government believes Russian leader Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine in the coming days, a change from comments he and other officials made in recent weeks when they said it wasn’t clear Putin had decided to invade.
- Biden said, “As of this moment, I’m convinced he has made the decision. We have reason to believe that.” He also pushed back on “phony allegations” and “fabricated claims” made by Russia against Ukraine as being “consistent with the playbook the Russians have used before: to set up a false justification to act against Ukraine.”
- The president said that U.S. officials believe Russia will target Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, and that while there is “every indication” Russia is prepared to invade, “It is not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.”
- Biden’s comments come as Russia has reportedly stepped up its military buildup near Ukraine’s border. While Russian officials have said in recent days they’ve begun to withdraw troops, open-source satellite images show otherwise and Western defense and intelligence officials have said Russian units have begun to leave staging areas into attack positions near the border.
- Michael Carpenter, the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said Friday that the U.S. assesses that “Russia probably has massed between 169,000-190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine as compared with about 100,000 on January 30.” Russia’s military buildup is “the most significant military mobilization in Europe since the Second World War” and includes troops in Russia near the border with Ukraine, in Belarus, and in occupied Crimea, in addition to Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas.
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Wednesday, February 24th unless Russia launches an invasion. Biden said “if Russia takes military action before that date, it will be clear that they have slammed the door shut on diplomacy.”
Russia Ramps Up Efforts to Create Pretext for Invading Ukraine
- Russian officials have made false claims in recent days that Ukraine is preparing to invade the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk, that has been occupied by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. They have also alleged that Ukraine is committing genocide against ethnic Russians in the Donbas, announced the discovery of mass graves, and accused Ukraine of preparing a chemical weapons attack against civilians ― claims which U.S. officials say are untrue and are being used to create a false narrative intended to justify a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- The OSCE, which serves as a multinational monitor on the ground in eastern Ukraine, announced Friday that in recent days it has “observed a dramatic increase” in the number of ceasefire violations in the Donbas, equal to the number of ceasefire violations reported before July 2020.
- Russian officials and state media said that a pair of explosions on Friday in the Donbas region involving a car belonging to a separatist official and a gas pipeline were instigated by Ukraine. Ukraine’s intelligence agency announced Friday that it believes Russian special forces have planted explosives on infrastructure in the Donbas region to use as a pretext for an invasion.
- Historically, Russia has used “false flag” claims of attacks on ethnic Russians or the country’s military to justify military interventions. Before the Soviet Union invaded Finland in the Winter War of 1939, Red Army troops shelled the Soviet village of Mainila but blamed the Finns and cited that as a casus belli (“occasion for war” in Latin) for attacking Finland days later. In 2008, Russia troops sent unmarked soldiers into the Republic of Georgia to foment unrest prior to an invasion. Similarly, the 2014 invasion of eastern Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea was preceded by claims of persecution against ethnic Russians in the region, and Russian special forces entered Ukraine disguised as local self-defense forces and seized government buildings.
- The number of cyberattacks against Ukrainian infrastructure has increased in recent days, including banks, which the National Security Council has attributed to Russia’s GRU military intelligence service.
- Videos released on Friday by Russian-backed separatists in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk urging civilians to evacuate from the area were recorded on Wednesday according to metadata from the videos, indicating they were made to fabricate a pretext rather than in response to ongoing events. The Russian government has reportedly offered would-be evacuees money to get on buses out of the Donbas region.
RELATED READING
- Biden Speaks on Russia-Ukraine Crisis, Senators Send Bipartisan Message of Solidarity to Ukraine & Warning to Putin (2/15/22)
- American Embassy in Ukraine Temporarily Evacuated Away From Kyiv As Russian Invasion Threat Looms (2/14/22)
- U.S. & Allies Sending More Troops to Eastern Europe, Arms to Ukraine Amid Russian Invasion Threat (2/12/22)
- U.S. Believes Russia May Launch Invasion of Ukraine ‘At Any Time’ - Americans Warned to Leave Ukraine Immediately (2/11/22)
- U.S. Deploying 3,000 Troops to NATO Countries in Eastern Europe Amid Russia’s Military Buildup (2/2/22)
- NATO Increases Readiness of Multinational Response Force - What Is It? (1/29/22)
- State Dept. Encourages American Citizens to Leave Ukraine, Begins Evacuation of Embassy Staff Members' Families (1/24/22)
- U.S. & NATO Allies Provide Aid to Ukraine Amid Russia's Military Buildup (1/22/22)
- U.S. Intel Warns Russia is Prepping ‘False Flag’ Operation as Pretext for Invading Ukraine (1/15/22)
- Biden Tells Ukrainian President the U.S. ‘Will Respond Decisively’ if Russia Invades Further (1/3/22)
- U.S. & NATO Urge Russia to Pull Back From its Military Buildup on Ukraine’s Border (12/3/21)
- Biden Admin Freezes Sale of Lethal Arms to Ukraine Amid Russian Military Buildup (6/18/21)
— Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Biden: White House photo by Adam Schultz via Flickr / Public Domain | Putin: Kremlin via Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons)
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Biden is right. He knows Putin. Better listen up. We will celebrate a FREE UKRAINE! They will be our strong friends in the Eastern block where we need some friends!
Well Biden was right.
Every time Biden gets in front of a microphone, he displays how completely out of touch he is. This just reinforces Putins resolve to do exactly what he plans to do. He will not stop with Ukraine!
Absolutely, Kristin. Absolutely! ❤️😊❤️😊
HockeyGuy, I like you! 😊❤️😊
War is a racket. this has zero to do with anything but money.
Let's face it. President Biden is... He taunts Putin instead of making hard core demand. No wonder Putin is talked into invading the Ukraine! It is well known that Russia and China have much in common. What is Biden wanting, an all-out war between Russia and Ukraine to please China? China has already taken parts of Africa and a few other countries with promises to LOAN money for their needs and when they cannot repay, guess what? China has those countries under CCP control. We cannot be so near sighted that we cannot see what is in the offing. Perhaps President Biden and his handlers cannot or will not ever recognize that the verbiage to Putin only encourages war with Ukraine. Or do they see this, and it is all part of a plan? I do not agree that Russia should be involved taking over parts of the Ukraine.
Unfortunately Putin is a Bully and needs to be stopped. If we do not stand up now he will continue too consume what he sees as parts of the former SOVIET Union. All of this and his Oligarchs keep in enriching themselves at the cost to the world. He and his Oligarchs are like me a criminal organization.
Alright, Loretta! 😊❤️😊
Such a fool old illegit Joe has been. Poor bastard probably gets flummoxed trying to decide which bowl to scoop his ice cream in to. Lefty comments about his refreshing approach or many accomplishments in his first miserable year are merely attempts to soothe one's bad choice. In most cases these aren't illegit Joe's words that he speaks but rather those posted to a teleprompter or spoken into his earpiece by a retread(s) from the Obama or Clinton parties. If only all the libs would pay as much attention or show the same degree of concern for the invasion at our southern border. Get over yourselves libs. Joe's a paper tiger and sooner or later someone is going to call his bluff and pop him in the mouth.
we have done a nuff fighting for other conuty.we nave kill so many young men for no raison help the people at home we need help . hear we go again paying for another war and people going with out food and good water at home lets take care of home for a change
I think Pres. Biden is correct, Putin will invade the 2 sections occupied by Russian Separatists. Putin is a Bully, & he thinks No one will Stop him, but China does alot of trade with Ukraine, & I am sure they will not be happy about Putin's invasion. The USA, along with the full support of the NATO countries must fully back Ukraine & impose severe sanctions on Russia, Putin & his Oligarchs. We must continue to supply military supplies, & all ground vehicles they may need. We have to stand against Putin & we should stop the FOX, Tucker Carlson from showing support for Russia, that is the sign of a Traitor to our Country & he should be removed from TV.
I wonder how many people realize they are very likely witnessing history repeat itself? And, we are stuck with the inhabitants of the island of misfit toys running the show. Hope you're happy.
Given what we spend on national intelligence agencies and collection methods he should know. I believe this is related to the Afghanistan withdrawl, the perception of weakness that was presented.
WE ARE BEING PLAYED. Germany lost the last world war. The Nazis, it appears, did not. They are making their global play now. Enslavement of the planet seems to be within their reach. Global media, corporations and most governments have been captured. All who have been drinking their koolaid have been deceived and walking right into their corral. They won't know until it is too late. Just like before, they cannot imagine that people can be so evil.
I realize that one of you receiving this comment is already part of Team Treason and a classic useful idiot for Putin (looking at you, Hawley). My hope is that the other member of what was once the Republican Party will still have some vestigial loyalty to this country and its democratic allies instead of Russia and the rest of the Axis of Autocracy. Putin's attempt to absorb Ukraine, where half of my family originates, is not in any way different from the claims of "lebensraum" from an earlier dictator embraced by the former Republican Party. Putin knows he no longer has a dimwitted coward in the White House that he can manipulate and has now pinned his hopes for selling Russian expansionism on the traitors on the far right. We need to show him that the vast majority of Americans still stand with republican democracy as we used to do. There is much that can be done in this regard short of sending troops to Ukraine and, unlike TFG, this POTUS seems committed to using all the tools at hand and standing with Europe.
Of course the maniacal Putin will invade! I think we should just stop threatening sanctions and sanction the hell out out of them… Putin is like a child testing the limits and we are just acting like parents with empty threats… time to deliver… he’s threatening … just punish him for bad behavior… invading calling it peace keeping???my ass..
Putin is a bad man and like Hitler has never forgiven America for the down fall of a previous regime
I am not happy about any of it. But I know that Joe knows Putin. Unlike the last republican clown that was leading our country, you know the con man, cheat, liar, racist etc. etc. etc, who would do nothing more than sell Putin our secret missle numbers if the price was right. Joe knows Putin and I trust every move President Biden makes, he's been there before!
Joe Biden is being honest, and that puts him far ahead of many politicians and former presidents. If you see 190,000--oh let's just say a more realistic number, 200,000 troops move in to surround Ukraine, it sure looks like Putin has made his mind up--otherwise, why keep sending troops? He's doing everything to usse disinformation to sway public opinion to Russians in Ukraine, but neither group wants him there!