General mobilization in Donetsk; "It's not a bluff"; Moscow ready to protect Russians

General mobilization in Donetsk; "It's not a bluff"; Moscow ready to protect Russians

The evacuation of civilians continues in Donetsk and Luhansk in anticipation of an attack by Ukrainian forces. On the other hand, Kiev claims that it does not intend to attack Donbass. Ukraine claims that Russia is preparing for an invasion, which has been announced for days by the President of the United States and NATO leaders.

U.S. President Joseph Biden said that he was convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made the decision to attack Ukraine, although there was still room for diplomacy, and that it would happen in the coming days.

Biden's statement followed a telephone conversation with the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Britain, the EU and NATO, the White House said.

On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree calling on Russian reservists for military training in 2022.

Putin and Lukashenko oversee nuclear exercises

Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin will monitor the exercises of the Russian nuclear forces, within which the launch of ballistic and cruise missiles is planned.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the strategic deterrence exercises "are planned in advance to check the readiness of military command centers, launch combat teams, the crew of warships, missile carriers to carry out assigned missions, as well as the reliability of nuclear and conventional weapons."

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said that he would participate in the monitoring of military exercises together with the Russian President.

Closed schools in Donetsk; mobilization of men aged 18 to 55 years

Moscow is ready to protect the Russians

Russia is ready to protect its citizens in the self-proclaimed people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk (DNR and LNR) if their lives are in danger, said today the Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin. In a post on the social network, Telegram, Volodin reiterated that "Russia does not want a war".

"Our President Vladimir Putin has said this several times before and he is repeating it these days: if the lives of Russians, our compatriots living in DNR and LNR are in danger, our country will defend them," Volodin said, TASS reports.

Austin: "I don't believe the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is a bluff"

The Minister of Defense of the United States of America, Lloyd Austin, stated that the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is not a bluff. Austin told ABC News that Russia could attack in a short time and that it has everything necessary for a "successful invasion".

U.S. President Joseph Biden said yesterday that he was convinced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had decided to attack Ukraine. Russia rejects Western claims that it is preparing an attack on Ukraine and demands that the Alliance not expand further, emphasizing that it is protecting its security interests.