Russia’s Baltic Fleet vessels the Korolev, Minsk (left), and Kaliningrad were today sailing south past the UK followed by Northern Fleet warships Olenegorsky Gornyak, Pyotr Morgunov, (bottom right), and Georgii Pobedonosets which passed the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark on Monday.
The ships, which can each carry up to 25 armored personnel carriers, were deployed three days ago but it remains unclear if they are heading for Ukraine.
(top right) The region has been on a knife-edge since the end of last year when Moscow moved as many as 100,000 troops, as well as tanks and missiles, close to the border.
Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s latest intelligence assessment yesterday warned Russia had massed more than 127,000 troops along the border, together with a sea and component that marked a ‘full strength’ force.
The assessment, seen by CNN, described the situation as ‘difficult’ and warned Russian President Vladimir Putin was ‘trying to split and weaken the European Union and NATO’ while also ‘limiting the capabilities of the United States… to ensure security on the European continent.
The stark warning comes after two rounds of last-ditch talks between the West and Russia failed to de-escalate the conflict which has threatened to bubble over since late last year.
