Although Russia on Wednesday said military drills in Moscow-annexed Crimea had ended and that soldiers were returning to their garrisons, the NATO chief said it seemed that Russia was continuing its military build-up. As US reports suggested Russian forces could attack as early as February 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged citizens to celebrate a "Day of Unity" on Wednesday. Read about the main events of the day as they unfolded.
5:23 pm Paris time: Satellite images confirm Russia not withdrawing, NATO says
NATO can prove Russia's failure to withdraw troops from Ukraine's borders with satellite images, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
"The intelligence we are sharing is actually confirmed also with open sources, with satellite imagery from commercial satellites," he told reporters at a two-day meeting of NATO defence ministers at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels.
4:09 pm Paris time: Ukraine stages military drills
Ukraine staged military drills and defiant displays of flag-waving patriotism on Wednesday as Western powers warned Russia was continuing to mass forces for a possible invasion.
Zelensky watched troops training with some of their new Western-supplied anti-tank weapons on a range near Rivne, west of the capital.
The demonstration of Ukrainian firepower contrasted with images on Russian state media that were said to show Moscow's forces bringing an end to a major exercise in occupied Crimea.
In Rivne, a row of vehicles was destroyed by simultaneous missile test strikes and armoured vehicles manoeuvred and fired on the yellowing moorland, while in Kyiv hundreds of civilians marched in a stadium with an enormous national banner.
"I see beautiful manoeuvres," Zelensky told officers. "I thank you for defending our state. When I see you I have confidence in the future and in our present moment."
2:00 pm Paris time: US condemns Russian bid to recognise Ukraine separatist provinces
The United States on Wednesday strongly condemned a Russian parliament proposal to recognise Ukraine's two separatist republics as independent. Such a move would "constitute a gross violation of international law," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
The Russian parliament on Tuesday voted to urge President Vladimir Putin to recognise the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as "sovereign and independent states" amid soaring tension with the West over Moscow's troop build-up.
"Kremlin approval of this appeal would amount to the Russian government's wholesale rejection of its commitments under the Minsk agreements," Blinken said, referring to a landmark 2014 deal meant to settle the Ukraine conflict.
1:50 pm Paris time: G7 foreign ministers to meet over Ukraine crisis Saturday
Germany's Annalena Baerbock will lead a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven industrialised nations on the sidelines of the Munich Security conference, likely on Saturday, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Ministers will continue their close cooperation in dealing with Ukraine crisis, the spokesperson said. The Munich Security Conference will take place on February 18-20.
1:30 pm Paris time: Moscow mocks West over reports of Ukraine 'invasion date'
The Kremlin and senior officials on Wednesday made fun of Western media for running with February 16 as the "invasion date" when Russia might attack Ukraine. "I'd like to ask if US and British sources of disinformation ... could publish the schedule of our upcoming invasions for the year. I'd like to plan my holidays," Russia's foreign minister spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova wrote on social media.
Western intelligence had warned that Moscow could choose Wednesday to escalate an ongoing separatist conflict in Ukraine. They said however that the date could be part of a Russian disinformation effort. Some media, citing intelligence reports, specified Russian attacks could begin early Wednesday morning.
"The night passed as usual. We slept peacefully. In the morning we started the day calmly and professionally," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
11:55 am Paris time: China says US is exaggerating Russian threat to Ukraine
China accused the United States of "playing up the threat of warfare and creating tension", as Washington warned that Russian troops were still massed near Ukraine’s border. "Such persistent hyping up and disinformation by some Western countries will create turbulence and uncertainty to the world full of challenges, and intensify distress and division," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters at a regular briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.
"We hope relevant parties will stop such disinformation campaigns and do more to benefit peace, mutual trust and cooperation," he added.
China has been criticised for its stance on Ukraine by some Western leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
11:20 am Paris time: Moscow denies involvement in Ukraine cyberattacks
The Kremlin denied on Wednesday that Russia was behind service cyberattacks on Ukraine's defence ministry and two banks, but said that it was not surprised that Kyiv would blame Moscow. Kyiv had suggested the attack came from Russia.
"We do not know anything. As expected, Ukraine continues blaming Russia for everything," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "Russia has nothing to do with any DDOS attacks," Peskov added.
The affected sites included the Oschadbank state savings bank and Privat – two of the country's largest financial institutions.
10:30 am Paris time: NATO says Russia appears to be continuing military build-up around Ukraine despite announcing withdrawal
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday said Russia seemed to be building up its forces around Ukraine, despite Moscow having announced a troop pullback earlier in the day.
"We have heard the signs from Moscow about readiness to continue diplomatic efforts, but so far, we have not seen any de-escalation on the ground. On the contrary, it appears that Russia continues their military build-up," Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday ahead of a meeting of NATO defence ministers.
10:10 am Paris time: EU’s von der Leyen says gas supply on 'safe side' for winter
EU commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said that Europe could survive Russia's squeeze on gas supplies to the EU thanks to an unprecedented diversification of sources in recent weeks. "Our models show, with all the measures we have taken, that we are now on the safe side for this winter," Von der Leyen said at a European Parliament session in the eastern French city of Strasbourg.
10:00 am Paris time: Belarus says 'not a single Russian soldier' will stay after joint drills
Belarus's foreign minister Vladimir Makei said Wednesday that no Russian soldiers would remain in the country after the massive joint manoeuvres by Minsk and Moscow on the Ukrainian border. "Not a single (Russian) soldier or a single unit of military equipment will stay on the territory of Belarus after the drills with Russia," Makei told a press conference in Minsk.
9:50 am Paris time: EU chief urges Moscow to take 'concrete' steps 'towards de-escalation'
The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, on Wednesday urged Russia to take "concrete" steps to ease tensions around Ukraine. "Russia has signalled that it may be open to diplomacy and we urge Russia to take concrete and tangible steps towards de-escalation because this is the condition for sincere political dialogue," Michel told lawmakers. "The choice today is a choice between war and tragic sacrifices that would go along with that war or the courage of a political engagement, the courage of a diplomatic negotiation", he added.
9:40 am Paris time: US, UK sceptical of Russian overtures
President Joe Biden said American officials had not verified Russia’s claim of a troop pullback. He promised that the US would give diplomacy "every chance," but he struck a sceptical tone about Moscow's intentions. "Two paths are still open," Biden said in remarks at the White House. "But let there be no doubt: If Russia commits this breach by invading Ukraine, responsible nations around the world will not hesitate to respond. If we do not stand for freedom where it is at risk today, we’ll surely pay a steeper price tomorrow.”
Britain also declared it has thus far not seen any evidence that Russia is withdrawing troops, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Wednesday. "We haven't seen any evidence at the moment of that withdrawal," Wallace told Times Radio. "Physical observations that we see show the opposite of some of the recent rhetoric coming out the Kremlin," Wallace told the BBC.
8:15am Paris time: Russia announces end of Crimea military drills, says troops leaving
Russia on Wednesday said military drills in Moscow-annexed Crimea had ended and that soldiers were returning to their garrisons, a day after it announced a first troop pullback from Ukraine's borders.
"Units of the Southern Military District, having completed their participation in tactical exercises, are moving to their permanent deployment points," Moscow's defence ministry said in a statement, as state television showed images of military units crossing a bridge linking the Russian-controlled peninsula to the mainland.
7:40 am Paris time: Ukrainian defence minister doesn't see 'anything unexpected'
Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Wednesday the latest threat assessments did not contain "anything unexpected" and were consistent with earlier views. In a televised statement he said Ukrainian armed forces were keeping up a nationwide military drill, one of which would be attended by the military attaché of Belarus.
Ukraine's neighbour has assured Kyiv there is no military threat from its territory.
Reznikov said he would participate in a "virtual meeting" of all NATO defense ministers set for Thursday.
6:45 am Paris time: Ukraine celebrates ‘Day of Unity’
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky urged citizens to celebrate a "Day of Unity" on Wednesday, February 16, a date he chose for what he hopes will be a patriotic outpouring after US reports suggested Russian forces could attack as early as today.
An intense diplomatic campaign is underway to head off the crisis triggered when Russia deployed more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders, backed with fleet reinforcements and powerful artillery and missile systems.
But Zelensky reacted with sarcasm to the US warning, and declared Wednesday a "Day of Unity". "Serious external and internal challenges have arisen, which require responsibility, confidence and concrete actions from me and each of us," he said. "But our state today is stronger than ever," he said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
