New satellite images captured by a private U.S. company show that Russia has continued to build up its forces in annexed Crimea and near Ukraine in recent weeks while pressing the United States for talks over security guarantees it is seeking.
Reuters could not independently verify the latest images from U.S.-based Maxar Technologies. The Kremlin reiterated on Friday that it reserves the right to move its own forces on Russian territory as it sees fit and that Western countries were carrying out provocative military maneuvers near its borders.
U.S., European and Ukrainian leaders have accused Russia of building up troops again near Ukraine’s border since October after an earlier brief buildup in April when Maxar also released images. U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders say Moscow appears to be weighing an attack on Ukraine as soon as next month, something Moscow has repeatedly denied.
Meanwhile, according to a new report from Insider, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday refused to rule out an invasion of Ukraine, claiming that the US and its western allies have tried to break up Russia since 1918.
Putin has repeatedly accused NATO and the US of not respecting his “red lines” in Ukraine, and wants assurances that the former Soviet republic will never become a member of the alliance.
Ukraine maintains a strong partnership with NATO, and has sought to join the alliance for years. NATO has rejected Putin’s demands, but the US and Russia are poised to hold talks in January. Experts say Putin views Ukraine as unfinished business, and is looking for an excuse to invade and blame the US and NATO.
In other news, US intelligence agencies have assessed that Saudi Arabia is now actively manufacturing its own ballistic missiles with the help of China, CNN has learned, a development that could have significant ripple effects across the Middle East and complicate the Biden administration’s efforts to restrain the nuclear ambitions of Iran, the Saudis’ top regional rival.
Saudi Arabia is known to have purchased ballistic missiles from China in the past but has never been able to build its own — until now, according to three sources familiar with the latest intelligence. Satellite images obtained by CNN also suggest the Kingdom is currently manufacturing the weapons in at least one location.
US officials at numerous agencies, including the National Security Council at the White House, have been briefed in recent months on classified intelligence revealing multiple large-scale transfers of sensitive ballistic missile technology between China and Saudi Arabia, according to two sources familiar with the latest assessments.
WION revealed that now the Biden administration is facing increasingly pressing questions about whether Saudi Arabia’s ballistic missile advances will change regional power dynamics. This can potentially complicate efforts to include missile technology restrictions in a nuclear deal with Iran, a goal shared by the US, Europe, Israel, and the Gulf countries.
Saudi Arabia and Iran are bitter enemies, and Tehran is unlikely to agree to stop making ballistic missiles if Saudi Arabia has already begun manufacturing its own. There could also be diplomatic complications with the US response. Especially with the Biden administration trying to reengage Beijing on several high-priority policy issues, including climate change, trade, and the pandemic, any US response may be complicated by diplomatic considerations with China.
