EU monitoring Russia's actions near Ukraine border

The European Union is concerned about the deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine and Russia's actions near Ukraine's borders and in the Crimean peninsula.

According to an Ukrinform correspondent, the EU said this in a statement that was read out at a regular meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, November 11.

"It has now been over seven years since the start of Russia's acts of aggression in eastern Ukraine and its illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which continue to represent a major threat to the European security order. This is why the European Union continues to follow with concern the current worsening security situation in Ukraine and Russia's actions near Ukraine's borders and in the Crimean peninsula closely," the statement reads.

The EU said that in this context, the public reports about a possible renewed military build-up by Russia close to the border with Ukraine would be, if confirmed, disturbing.

"We will continue to follow developments, in close dialogue with our likeminded partners. We would like to remind Russia about its obligations under the Vienna Document regarding transparency on movement of troops and about the recommendations put forward by participating States at the joint PC-FSC meeting of 14 April," the statement reads.

Separately, the EU said it remained deeply concerned about the presence of Russian military equipment and personnel in the sovereign territory of Ukraine. "The SMM reports frequently about Russian military equipment in the non-government controlled areas. These reports underline the need for greater transparency about what is happening at the parts of the Ukraine-Russia state border currently not under the control of the Ukrainian government," the statement said.

According to earlier reports, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said that as of early November 2021, a 90,000-strong grouping of Russian troops had been amassed near the Ukrainian border and in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia.

The U.S.-based Politico outlet earlier published new satellite images that the journalists claim confirm recent reports that Russia is again massing troops and military hardware on the border with Ukraine.

Several other outlets, including The Washington Post, also wrote that in recent weeks, Russia has resumed the movement of military hardware and troops toward the border with Ukraine.

Citing unnamed sources among U.S. and European officials, the newspaper said the movement began after the Kremlin completed a large-scale joint military exercise with Belarus, Zapad 2021, nearly one-and-a-half months ago.

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