Ukraine caused a stir by decreeing a “Day of Unity” on the date media reports say Russia may invade the country.
President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Ukrainians to raise the flag and sing the anthem to promote national pride on Wednesday — the day media reports say U.S. intelligence believes Russian President Vladimir Putin told his military to be ready to attack Ukraine. However, Ukraine’s government stresses it is skeptical of those claims.
NO, RUSSIA HASN’T BLINKED — AND WHY A WEDNESDAY INVASION IS UNLIKELY
“We are told that Feb. 16 will be the day of the attack. We will make it the Day of Unity. The relevant decree has already been signed. On this day, we will hang national flags, wear blue and yellow ribbons and show the world our unity,” Zelensky said Monday, according to a translation by NBC News.
In remarks to the press over the weekend, Zelensky asked for evidence Russia was set to invade on Wednesday.
President Joe Biden has reportedly warned U.S. allies that Russia could attack Ukraine that day, Politico reported. Additionally, other U.S. allies such as the United Kingdom suggested it had a different interpretation of the Feb. 16 intelligence than the Biden administration, according to the report. U.K. officials did not elaborate on their interpretation.
ICYMI:
Unlike NATO-nation #fakenews @BBCNews @CNN @SkyNews @itvnews @NBCNews @ABC stenographers masquerading as journalists, Ukraine’s President Zelensky actually asks for EVIDENCE of Russia’s invasion. pic.twitter.com/qa4JJpofxU— Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) February 13, 2022
Zelensky’s decree initially sparked confusion and spooked global stock markets.
Some political analysts initially thought Zelenksy was suggesting Ukraine believed Russia would attack it on Feb. 16. An aide to Zelensky told Bloomberg his remarks should be interpreted as irony and that the country was skeptical of the dates cited for an invasion in media reports.
Russia has amassed nearly 140,000 troops around Ukraine, surrounding the country from Belarus’s and Russia’s borders with Ukraine and Crimea. Last month, Putin denied claims Russia intends to invade. Russia’s military is currently engaged in some of its largest military exercises since the Cold War with Belarus, NPR reported.
Russia has reportedly offered to reduce its troop count near its border with Ukraine in exchange for concessions from NATO that it would eliminate its open-door policy and not send NATO troops or resources to countries that were not in the alliance prior to 1997. The United States and NATO have rejected these demands publicly.
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The State Department announced it is closing its Embassy to Ukraine in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and moving some of its personnel to Lviv in western Ukraine. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the move Monday and said it was in response to a buildup of Russian forces around Ukraine’s borders.
“The Embassy will remain engaged with the Ukrainian government, coordinating diplomatic engagement in Ukraine. We are also continuing our intensive diplomatic efforts to deescalate the crisis,” Blinken said in a statement. “I have ordered these measures for one reason — the safety of our staff — and we strongly urge any remaining U.S. citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately.”
