MOSCOW, Nov 21 - RIA Novosti. The probability of Ukraine conducting provocations near the borders of Russia has increased significantly, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Alexander Grebenkin said.
Grebenkin noted that after the coup d'etat, people came to power "professing radical nationalism, Russophobia and groundlessly declared our country an aggressor for their own opportunistic reasons."
According to him, this factor has an "extremely negative" impact on the operational situation on the joint section of the border.
"There is an increase in cross-border crime associated with the organization of channels for the illegal movement of weapons, ammunition and explosives, as well as the smuggling of drugs, goods, cargo and fuel and lubricants," the Deputy Secretary of the Security Council added.
He also noted that Kiev is trying to have a "negative informational impact" on Russians living in Crimea.
On the eve of the head of Ukrainian intelligence Kirill Budanov said that Russia is "preparing to attack" the country in late January or early February next year. In particular, he said that more than 92 thousand Russian military are concentrated near the border.
Recently, reports have been frequently published in foreign media that Moscow is pulling troops to the Russian-Ukrainian border. The press secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov noted that the Ministry of Defense moves forces and means on its territory and at its discretion, it does not threaten anyone. Also, the Kremlin has repeatedly stressed that the conflict in Ukraine is internal and Russia does not interfere in it.
At the same time, the United States itself and its NATO allies have recently significantly increased military activity in the Black Sea. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the United States is trying to create a grouping of troops near the Russian borders, and one of Washington's goals is the military development of Ukraine. The United States is studying the situation in case of a military solution to the conflict in Donbass, the ministry believes.
