Kremlin: Western reports of troop buildup near Ukraine ‘fake news’ – Washington Times

The Russian government Tuesday dismissed as cheap, fake news reports of a major buildup of troops and weaponry near the countrys tense borders with Ukraine and Belarus.

Politico, citing commercial satellite imagery and an assessment by the respected London military analysis firm Janes, has reported there were clear signs of a buildup of troops, artillery and armored units in a town close to Belarus border and that equipment from Russias 4th Tank division had been relocated to areas near Ukraines northern border.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the accounts in a Tuesday briefing with reporters in Moscow, insisting that Russia has never threatened anyone, nor is it threatening anyone.

It is not even worth commenting on the quality of these reports and generally such news should be ignored, Mr. Peskov said. The quality itself serves as perfect proof that time should not be wasted on getting acquainted with such cheap, fake news.

Both Belarus and Ukraine are a focus of rising East-West tensions. Authoritarian Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, a Russian ally, is trying to hold on to power in the face of strong popular pro-democracy protests, while Russia is also aiding pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine battling the pro-Western government in Kyiv.

Mr. Peskov said any recent Russian military moves were a defensive reaction to the quite aggressive expansionist tendencies by NATO and its allies along Russias western border.

The Reuters news agency, citing a statement from the Russian RIA news agency, also reported Tuesday that CIA Director William Burns had made an unannounced trip to Moscow for talks with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.

In addition to border tensions between Russia and U.S. allies, the Biden administration has also voiced suspicions that Russian intelligence or Russian-linked groups are behind a string of mysterious attacks that have left more than 200 U.S. diplomats, intelligence officers, military officers and other government employees complaining of debilitating headaches, dizziness and other symptoms.

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Kremlin: Western reports of troop buildup near Ukraine 'fake news' - Washington Times