US, Allies Question Moscow's Motives Near Ukraine

WASHINGTON - The United States is accusing Russia of hiding the true intent of its military buildup along the border with Ukraine following consultations with allies about heightening tensions in the region. FM @HeikoMaas : discussed #Afghanistan & the alarming situation in Eastern #Ukraine with @SecBlinken today. Together with our #EU & #NATO partners we will monitor further steps closely. We agreed that #Russia must de-escalate & act transparently with regard to its troop movements

U.S. officials declined Friday to share specifics on the number or types of Russian forces they have seen massing near Ukrainian territory. But they described Moscow's actions as both provocative and destabilizing, rejecting assertions that any movement has been tied to simple military exercises. "We don't think that the Russians have been totally transparent about what they're doing," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters Friday. "It is a big buildup … the biggest one that we've seen since 2014," he said, noting that similar previous buildups of Russian military force have not ended well for Moscow's neighbors.