Russia's attack on Ukraine came after months of denials it would attack [View all]

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/24/ukraine-russia-denials/

Russia’s attack on Ukraine came after months of denials it would attack
By Adam Taylor
Today at 11:40 a.m. EST

For weeks, Russian officials and commentators had strongly denied that the country was planning an attack on neighboring Ukraine. At points, they ridiculed such claims from the United States and its allies as “hysteria” and “fairy tales.”

Western officials have expressed concern about the risk of conflict since late last year, citing an unusual buildup of Russian forces and military machinery near the border with Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea, telling reporters that “Russia doesn’t threaten anyone” and that it was allowed to move troops within its borders.

Any suggestion that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine was a “hollow and unfounded attempt to incite tensions,” Peskov said in November.

On Dec. 3, The Washington Post published a report that said U.S. officials believed “the Kremlin is planning a multi-front offensive” on Ukraine “as soon as early next year involving up to 175,000 troops.”

Russian officials denied there was anything unusual about the buildup, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova suggesting in remarks to a Russian newspaper that there had been “provocative actions near Russia’s borders accompanied by accusatory rhetoric.”

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