A Research Briefing by UK's House of Commons Library. In early November 2021 Russia began building up its military forces along the
borders of Ukraine, for the second time in a year. Over 100,000 Russian
military personnel and assets have been deployed in Crimea and in the
Voronezh, Kursk and Bryansk regions of Western Russia. Russian naval assets
from the Baltic and Northern fleets have deployed to the Black Sea and
30,000 Russian troops are currently on exercise in Belarus, close to the
Ukrainian border.
Tensions have escalated following a US intelligence assessment in December
2021, which suggested that Russia could be planning an invasion of Ukraine in
early 2022. Russia has denied suggestions that it is planning to invade and has linked its
actions to what it regards as provocative actions by NATO. Russia is seeking
longer term security guarantees from the Alliance that Ukraine will not be
admitted as a Member State and that NATO military infrastructure will not be
deployed in the country. The Kremlin has said these are “red lines” for
Russia’s national security.
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