US alleges Russia is using fake videos to justify an invasion of Ukraine
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told a press conference on Thursday that Russia is using a web of excuses to launch an attack on Ukraine. The alleged plot would begin with the dissemination of images showing "dead bodies and actors depicting the wounded and places destroyed".
US intelligence officials have offered no evidence regarding the production of such videos, nor have they provided any information on how they arrived at their conclusion. Washington hopes that publicising these plans will dissuade Russian President Vladimir Putin from his desire to invade Ukrainian territory.
The Russian authorities' intention was to make the video as realistic as possible, using real deaths, fake explosions and images of ruined locations as a result of such attacks. In addition, fake Ukrainian or NATO military equipment would be incorporated, as well as Turkish combat drones and Russian-speaking actors playing the victims.
According to US officials, Russia intended to use the video to accuse Ukraine of genocide and, in addition to using it to justify an attack, to get separatist leaders in Donbass (a pro-Russian region in eastern Ukraine) to call for Russian intervention.
US newspapers have echoed this development, with The New York Times claiming that it was an attack by the Ukrainian army on Russian territory or against Russian-speaking people living in the east of the country. The Washington Post reported that the plan was brought to light by the US authorities.
Moscow denies the accusations and has repeated on numerous occasions that it does not want any confrontation with Kiev. Moreover, it blames the US and NATO for worsening the situation. Putin has asked Biden to de-escalate tensions after the latter announced the deployment of 3,000 more troops to Eastern Europe in the coming days.
Germany and Poland will receive about 2,000 troops while the remaining 1,000 troops are to be positioned in Romania. These military groups include additional brigade combat teams, logistics personnel, medical and aviation support, and soldiers engaged in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
This comes at a time when Russia and Belarus are about to begin joint military exercises. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russia's troop deployment in Belarus is the largest it has made since the Cold War. 30,000 combat troops, fighters, dual-capable Iskander missiles and S-400 air defence systems are expected.
Stoltenberg also called for Russia to de-escalate its military presence on Belarusian soil and reiterated Western warnings that further Russian aggression would have serious and significant consequences, for which they would pay a heavy price. The US deployments are seen by the Secretary General as defensive and make it clear that NATO will do whatever it takes to protect allies.
To avoid a final attack, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan travelled to Europe to meet with the Ukrainian president and once again offered to mediate between Moscow and Kiev. During his visit, he made clear his view that the West is not helping to resolve the conflict but has encouraged the situation to worsen.
Eastern Ukraine has been in conflict since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, fuelling the pro-Russian separatist conflict against Kiev. This conflict has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people and displaced many more.
If the conflict escalates, nearly two million people living near the front line in eastern Ukraine could be displaced. In addition, the Norwegian Refugee Council has warned that any worsening of the situation will lead to a reversal of the improvements made since 2015 by increasing the number of people in need of any assistance.
Americas Coordinator: José Antonio Sierra.