US State Department Orders Families of Embassy Personnel To Leave Belarus: The US State Department ordered family members of employees at the US Embassy in Belarus to depart the country on Monday and cautioned American citizens not to travel there due to an “unusual and concerning Russian military buildup” along Belarus’ border with Ukraine.
What Does Russia Have Planned for Ukraine?
These latest developments come as fears that Russia could mount another invasion of Ukraine, including from neighboring Belarus. This latest advisory comes only a week after the State Department ordered the evacuation of families from the American Embassy in Kyiv in Ukraine.
The State Department also issued a travel advisory for Americans heading to Belarus, warning them that because of the “Russian military activity near the border with Ukraine, U.S. citizens located in or considering travel to Belarus should be aware that the situation is unpredictable and there is heightened tension in the region.”
“Given the heightened volatility of the situation, U.S. citizens are strongly advised against traveling to Belarus,” adding that “the U.S. government’s ability to provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens in Belarus is already severely limited due to Belarusian government limitations on U.S. Embassy staffing.”
Russia’s Forces are Massing in Belarus
Among the troops and weapons being shipped to Belarus according to satellite imagery supplied by Maxar Technologies, are the Iskander SS-26 “Stone” short-range ballistic missile has a range of up to 500 kilometers and can support several different types of warheads, including thermonuclear, high explosive fragmentation, submunition, penetration, fuel-air explosive, and electromagnetic pulse.
While the Russians insist that they have no intention of invading Ukraine again, they have massed more than 127,000 troops around the Ukrainian border on three sides. Now, they plan on adding an additional 25,000 troops to Belarus, to the 5,000 already there at the Belarus-Ukraine border by early February for a “large exercise”.
Can Diplomacy Avert a Russia-Ukraine War?
Meanwhile, at a UN Security Council meeting Monday, Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. diplomats sparred claiming to all want peace while blaming the other for the increase in tensions and accusing the other side of wanting to start a war.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused the Russians of playing with fire, “The situation we are facing in Europe is urgent and dangerous,” she said at the opening of the session. “Russia’s actions strike at the very heart of the U.N. charter.”
Image: Creative Commons.
The Russian ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia, accused the U.S. of purposely inflaming the situation and “whipping up tensions and provoking escalation,” while continuing to insist that Russia had no plan to invade Ukraine.
“You are almost pulling for this,” he said, looking at Mrs. Thomas-Greenfield. “You want it to happen. You’re waiting for it to happen as if you want to make your words become a reality.”
Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya called for a peaceful resolution and insisted that Russia’s claims that Ukraine intended to attack Russia was false.
“If Russia has any questions to Ukraine, it is better to meet and talk, not to bring troops to the Ukrainian borders and intimidate Ukrainian people,” he said.
“Ukraine is not going to launch a military offensive, neither in Donbas, nor Crimea nor anywhere else,” Kyslytsya said.
“The Kremlin must remember that Ukraine is ready to defend itself. At the same time we support the need to keep diplomatic channels with Russia open,” he added.
Is War Imminent?
Although the U.S. had called for the meeting, no one expected anything of substance to come from it, and nothing did. In fact, the Russian ambassador left before the meeting had even concluded. But the U.S. insists that the dialog continues and that it shows that Washington and Kyiv are searching for a peaceful resolution, and to confront Russian aggression.
President Biden released a statement after the Security Council meeting stating, “If Russia is sincere about addressing our respective security concerns through dialogue, the United States and our Allies and partners will continue to engage in good faith.”
“If instead Russia chooses to walk away from diplomacy and attack Ukraine, Russia will bear the responsibility, and it will face swift and severe consequences.”
Steve Balestrieri is a 1945 National Security Columnist. He has served as a US Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer before injuries forced his early separation. In addition to writing for 1945, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and his work was regularly featured in the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle and Grafton News newspapers in Massachusetts.
