Even Kiev doesn’t believe West’s claim a war is coming, says Moscow

Russia sought to widen a rift between Ukraine and its western allies on Sunday as Washington and Kiev sent diverging messages over the likelihood of war.

Russia argues it has a right to position troops anywhere it likes on its borders, and that does not encessarily presage an incursion into neighbouring states. Picture: AFP

Russia sought to widen a rift between Ukraine and its western allies on Sunday as Washington and Kiev sent diverging messages over the likelihood of war.

Nikolai Patrushev, the powerful secretary of Russia’s Security Council and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, picked up on cracks in the relationship as he played down the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“We don’t want war, we don’t need that at all,” he said during a visit to St Petersburg for events to mark the anniversary of the end of the Siege of Leningrad during World War II.

“Those who are pushing for it (war), especially in the West, are pursuing their own self-serving fallacies,” Mr Patrushev continued.

“The Ukrainians themselves, including officials, say there is no threat. But US officials assert that there is a threat and they are ready to fight, while providing weapons, to the last Ukrainian. They’re not worried about what losses there will or won’t be on each side.”

Mr Patrushev added that the idea that Russia was “threatening Ukraine” was “absolutely ridiculous”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier surprised the country’s western allies by accusing them of sowing unrest with predictions of imminent war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking during a news conference with foreign media in Kiev. Picture: AFP

“There are signals even from respected leaders of states, they just say that tomorrow there will be war,” he told reporters in Kiev on Friday. “This is panic. How much does it cost for our state?”

He acknowledged that a “constant” threat did exist but said it had not increased and an estimated build-up of 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders was “no more intense” than in spring last year.

Kiev also rejected reports – citing senior US defence officials – that Russia has moved blood supplies to the border to treat casualties in the event of a conflict. Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, Hanna Maliar, said the reports were false. She posted on Facebook on Saturday: “Such ‘news’ is an element of information and psychological warfare. The purpose of such information is to spread panic and fear in our society.”

A White House official told CNN: “We understand the difficult position President Zelensky is in and the pressure he’s under. But at the same time he’s downplaying the risk of invasion, he’s asking for hundreds of millions of dollars in weapons to defend against one.”

The opposing briefings from Washington and Kiev have resulted in the curious picture of both Ukraine and Russia, the potential combatants, talking down the likelihood of war while the US and Britain ring alarm bells.

Civilian participants in a Kiev Territorial Defence unit train in a forest this month. Picture: Getty

Many in Kiev and around the country have joined territorial defence battalions, ready to take to the streets should a Russian incursion begin.

Many new volunteers have received only very basic training, if any, and have been told that in the event of an invasion they should report to pick up a gun and await further instructions. For now, some are practising with wooden rifles.

According to the White House, President Joe Biden told Mr Zelensky in a telephone call on Thursday that there was a “distinct possibility” that Russia would attack Ukraine next month.

Mr Zelensky has said it was a “mistake” for the US to order family members of its embassy staff in Kiev to leave. “We don’t have a Titanic here,” he said.

Officials and state media in Moscow have been pleased with Mr Zelensky’s comments, which play into the Kremlin’s argument that it has a right to position troops anywhere it likes on its borders, and that does not necessarily presage an incursion into neighbouring states.

The Times