Russia is continuing to move forces towards the border with Ukraine despite claims by Moscow that it is pulling back, Britain’s head of military intelligence has warned.
Lieutenant General Jim Hockenhull, the UK Chief of Defence Intelligence, said there have been sightings of additional armoured vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital heading to the border zone.
His stark warning came after Nato defence ministers meeting in Brussels said they had seen no evidence to support Russia’s claims it had begun withdrawing troops to their bases.
In a statement issued by the UK Ministry of Defence, Gen Hockenhull said: “Contrary to their claims, Russia continues to build up military capabilities near Ukraine.
“This includes sightings of additional armoured vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving towards Ukraine’s borders. Russia has the military mass in place to conduct an invasion of Ukraine.”
Earlier, alliance defence ministers said they remained “gravely concerned” by the Russian military build-up and again urged the Kremlin to revert to the “path of diplomacy” in line with its international commitments.
Secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said Nato was considering establishing new battlegroups in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe to counter the threat from Moscow, which he described as “the new normal”.
Defence Secretary @BWallaceMP is with @NATO Defence Ministers today and tomorrow to discuss the Allied response to the buildup of Russian military forces on the border of Ukraine.
The UK’s contribution to NATO’s uplift in Eastern Europe is strengthening the Alliance's defences. pic.twitter.com/jXzmBMsUqN— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) February 16, 2022
Russia has repeatedly denied that it has any intention of attacking Ukraine, despite massing an estimated 130,000 troops along the border with its southern neighbour.
Mr Stoltenberg said that while they welcomed signs Moscow was prepared to continue with diplomacy, Nato they had not seen any signs of de-escalation on the ground.
“What we see today is that Russia maintains a massive invasion force ready to attack, with high-end capabilities from Crimea to Belarus. This is the biggest concentration of forces in Europe since the Cold War,” he said.
“Moscow has made it clear that it is prepared to contest the fundamental principles that have underpinned our security for decades, and to do so by using force. I regret to say that this is the new normal in Europe.”
The warning came after the Russian defence ministry issued video footage which it said showed armoured vehicles moving across a bridge away from Crimea, the peninsula Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
While Western allies have made clear they will not intervene militarily in Ukraine – which is not a Nato member – they are looking to shore up their defences elsewhere in eastern Europe.
Britain has already said it is doubling the number of troops in Estonia while sending 350 Royal Marine commandos to Poland.
Four additional RAF Typhoon jets are heading to Cyprus to join Nato patrols over eastern Europe while offshore patrol vessel HMS Trent will shortly be joined in the eastern Mediterranean by HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who has been attending the meeting in Brussels, said: “Alongside our Nato allies, we are deploying troops and assets on land, sea and air to bolster European defences in response to the build-up of Russian military forces on the border of Ukraine.
“Nato and our allies have been clear that an invasion of Ukraine will be met with severe consequences. De-escalation and diplomacy remain the only path out of this situation.”
