London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Ukrainian military report says 120,000 Russian troops near border

Ukrainian military report says 120,000 Russian troops near border

Ukrainian defense officials say Russia has increased troop numbers near the Ukrainian border to 120,000 people, including additional army, air force and naval personnel.
According to its latest ongoing security assessment -- shared with CNN by Ukrainian security sources -- the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said "combat and other military equipment, such as tanks, armed vehicles and 'Iskander' missiles remain near the border of Ukraine," following numerous Russian military exercises.

Russia regularly "redeploys and accumulates its military units to maintain tension in the region," the assessment said, allowing it to "create striking forces rapidly, and lays the ground for quick reinforcement."

Months of steady military increases along the Russia-Ukraine frontier have alarmed Ukrainian and Western officials. CNN reported last week that Russian forces had capabilities in place along the Ukrainian border to carry out a swift and immediate invasion, including erecting supply lines such as medical units and fuel that could sustain a drawn-out conflict.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the suggestion that Russia would invade Ukraine as "provocative."

"Russia is pursuing a peaceful foreign policy. But it has the right to ensure its safety," he said during a televised news conference on Wednesday, emphasizing the Kremlin's concern at the prospect of Ukraine one day joining NATO.

In a virtual meeting Tuesday that turned tense at times, US President Joe Biden warned Putin about invading Ukraine, and Washington is preparing a series of harsh economic sanctions in the event that Russian forces do attack.

Biden ended the conversation without any further clarity on whether Putin had made up his mind to launch an invasion, US officials said afterward.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Monday said the build-up of Russian troops was an attempt to spread fear and unrest in Ukraine, and to prevent Kiev from moving closer toward NATO and membership of the European Union.

"This gathering of their troops alongside of our border, it's a main goal of them to make destabilization process inside of our country, to stop us in our way.

But we go into the NATO ally, we're going to EU," Reznikov told CNN.

According to the latest Ukrainian assessment, Russia is also stepping up operations from the neighboring country of Belarus, which borders Ukraine to the north. The report said some units of the Russian army remain near the Russian border with Belarus "at the distance of around 260 km (160 miles) from the state border of Ukraine."

Russia has also intensified its intelligence gathering on Ukraine, the report added, with the number of reconnaissance aircraft flights along the Ukrainian border, above the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, tripling since the same period last year.

Biden on Wednesday ruled out sending US troops to defend Ukraine in case of a military escalation, though the United States will send small arms and ammunition to Ukrainian defense forces this week as part of a $60 million security assistance package approved earlier this year, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to speak with Biden on Thursday.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×