Russia threat 'most dangerous' of our lives as war on Ukraine looms
Members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination survey a crater and damage to a house from one of at least eight artillery shells that landed in the village of Vrubivka in eastern Ukraine on Thursday. Picture: Vadim Ghirda/AP
The Russia-Ukraine crisis is “the most dangerous moment” for the order of European security in our lifetime, the British ambassador to Ireland has said.
Spiking tensions in eastern Ukraine have heightened Western fears of a Russian invasion prompting a new war on the edge of Europe, with a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling yesterday and pro-Russian rebels ordering the evacuation of civilians from the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to evacuate to Russia, with women, children, and the elderly going first.
Hours after the evacuation began, a jeep exploded outside the rebel government building in the city of Donetsk. The Ukrainian government denied allegations by rebel leaders that it was planning an offensive, and said it was not targeting civilians in any way.
The Kremlin declared nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and president Vladimir Putin pledged to protect Russia’s national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the EU is united in responding “very strongly” to any Russian invasion of Ukraine. He said it is Europe’s view that the huge build-up of troops by Russia on the Ukraine border is “not justifiable”. He said:
"Europe wants a de-escalation. And the diplomacy will continue towards that end.”
Speaking to Irish journalists, British ambassador Paul Johnston said Britain, the EU, and the US will this weekend continue diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the looming threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“I would say that the British government thinks that this is probably the most dangerous moment for the European security order, in our lifetimes,” he said.
Mr Johnston said Britain and the EU have sought to avoid the prospect of an invasion, but that it stands on the brink of that eventuality:
“And the choice ultimately is in Russia’s hands, what we’re trying to do is create the right context in terms of both, you know, threats and pressure, and also incentives and opportunities that might lead them to take what we hope would be the wiser course.”
However, he warned that as things stand, we have no guarantees of avoiding conflict.
“We continue to see many worrying signs that they will take the disastrous step of launching a major intervention in Ukraine,” he said.
US and European leaders are grasping for ways to keep the peace and Europe’s post-Cold War security order, including economic sanctions.
Mr Putin, whose nation has been under sanctions since 2014, told a news conference in Moscow that Western countries would probably find a reason to impose more whatever Russia does.
While Mr Putin held out the possibility of diplomacy, developments this week have further exacerbated East-West tensions.
US and European officials, focused on an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted near Ukraine’s borders, warn the long-simmering separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine could provide the spark for a broader attack.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that while the risk to Irish agencies and companies from a targeted “nation-state” attack in Ukraine was “low”, there was the potential for knock-on impacts. It further warned that “increased cyber-criminal activity” should be expected, as criminal gangs seek to exploit a worsening security situation.
The NCSC urged Irish companies with operations in Ukraine and Russia to be vigilant and to test their security systems. Without specifically naming hostile Russian state acts, it said previous “state-backed cyber operations” in the region had caused “significant disruption” to some Irish-based organisations in the past.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
