Blog 9: Satellites Show Russian Forces Poised Near Ukraine

Alyse Schmidt
Professor Stephen Sills
SOC 202-01
April 11, 2014

Satellites Show Russian Forces Poised Near Ukraine

Summary:

NATO released satellite photographs on Thursday showing Russian military equipment, including fighter jets and tanks,as many as 40,000 troops near the border with Ukraine. The release came the same day that President Putin reiterated a threat to curtail gas sales to Ukraine.The photos, taken by a commercial satellite imaging company called DigitalGlobe, offered some of the first documentary evidence of a military buildup that the West says Russia could use to invade Ukraine at any moment. The Kremlin has accused the West of exaggerating Russia’s military presence along the Ukrainian border. Still, Russia has warned that it may take military action to protect ethnic Russians in Ukraine if they are threatened.Officials said they had distributed commercial photographs, rather than pictures taken by military satellites, because of the complexities of declassifying classified images. Obama and other Western leaders have said that Russia has massed troops and equipment along its borders and have demanded that Russia withdraw those forces. The top NATO commander, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, said in an interview last week that Russia’s 40,000 troops could attack on 12 hours’ notice.Brigadier Deakin said “The Russians have an array of capabilities, including aircraft, helicopters, special forces, tanks, artillery, infantry fighting vehicles,” Brigadier Deakin said, according to a NATO news release. “These could move in a matter of hours.”The photographs show more than 20 helicopters near the Russian city of Belgorod, about 25 miles from the Ukrainian border. In addition to accusing the West of exaggerating Russia’s military presence, the Kremlin said on Thursday that any stationing of NATO troops near Russia’s borders would be a violation of international

Analysis:

As I stated last week, I said that there was too much down time, and that something was boiling or being planned between the two countries. As the accusation goes for last week, or possibly the week before, I do not think that Ukraine and Russia are plotting together, or training each other troops, for now that Russia has tanks and other fire arms facing Ukraine and can enter at any moment, I feel as though Russia still obviously has anger on Ukraine, and is ready to fight for Crimea. Russia thinks it theres to have and they want it back, not only that but they would be invadingUkraine and violating international laws. That being said, international authorities and international forces are going to have to punish Russia for not listening to what the UN had placed the rule on them a couple weeks ago. Since this will include an international force to go and punish Russia, this makes it a Global Issue because now we are going International, around the Globe everyone has to be in the same page of punishing Russia. I believe Russia knows exactly what they are doing, as they said Russia could invade Ukraine at any moment now, but they haven't. I feel as though they are waiting for the perfect time, and know immediately that the U.S and U.N will send forces if they have too. Russia doesn't care about the rules placed on them not to invade Ukraine, they are going to do it anyway, and have its perfect intentions of starting something bigger. I see this as a start of a World War III, and that is certainly a Global Issue, because stated in class, due to the technology and the amount and force of the weapons we have today, that could be the distraction of the World. As soon as Russia crosses Ukraine's boarders, I believe that is the start of a huge Global Issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/world/europe/satellites-show-russia-mobilizing-near-ukraine-nato-says.html?ref=world&_r=0