Russian military forces Thursday began 10 days of exercises with warships off a port on the Black Sea, stoking fears among the West that an invasion of Ukraine could come soon.
The news: Six ships arrived at the Sevastopol port in Crimea, per The Washington Post.
- These ships are often used to unload military troops, vehicles and equipment.
- Some of these ships were used when Russia invaded Georgia in 2008.
Details: Russian National Guard units and other Russian military troops have been seen gathering near Ukraine, too, according to BBC News.
- “According to our observations, one or two more weeks are necessary to complete possible preparations for a potential large-scale invasion,” said Kirill Mikhailov, an investigative reporter with the Conflict Intelligence Team, per BBC News.
Why it matters: Ukrainian officials called the maneuvers “unprecedented” that made travel through the Black Sea and Sea of Azov impossible, according to The Washington Post.
- “In essence, this is a significant and unjustified complication of international shipping, especially trade, which can cause complex economic and social consequences, especially for the ports of Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The other side: Per Foreign Policy, Ukraine has started military exercises, too.
- “The fact that Ukraine’s forces are gearing up at the same time as Russia’s signals a shift from a previous position of wariness over whether its actions would provoke Moscow,” according to Foreign Policy.