Washington Post: Russian authorities deny preparing to attack Ukraine, but data from Tik Tok suggests otherwise

16

Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior Russian officials have been denying for months that Moscow is preparing for an "invasion" of Ukraine, but data from TikTok and other social networks suggests otherwise, writes the Washington Post.

Eyewitnesses have published hundreds of videos showing modern Russian weapons moving along roads and railways, heading for areas of Russia and Belarus near the Ukrainian border. In recent days, these videos have begun to worry military analysts. In their opinion, the buildup of Russian power has entered the final stage before the invasion

- notes the publication.



For example, Michael Kofman, military expert of the CNA research group, explained that if you observe independent movement of tracked armored vehicles on public roads on the mentioned frames, this indicates that they are near the border. Crews bring armored vehicles to positions (lines) from which the "offensive operation" will begin. In his words, in the language of the military, this is called the "last foothold." In all other cases, such armored vehicles are moved by specialized trucks and rail transport to avoid unnecessary wear and tear.

Kofman drew attention to the fact that the training ground near the city of Yelnya in the Smolensk region, where units of the 14th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces gathered, was empty. The troops advanced towards the border with Ukraine.

In addition, the Russian leadership is transferring landing and other ships from different fleets to the Black Sea. The sailors have traveled thousands of miles and now a huge group is gathering in this water area to conduct exercises. He stressed that the Russian Navy could carry out an “invasion” into Ukrainian territorial waters and conduct a major landing operation, “capturing” the coast of Ukraine with its marines.

At the same time, the Russian Navy keeps its most powerful ships in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. They must prevent the ships of the NATO countries from coming to the aid of Ukraine. The expert recalled that in 2008, when Russia "invaded" Georgia, the Russian Navy attacked the port city of Poti. Therefore, the naval exercises of the Russians, which should take place on February 13-19, cause reasonable concern, because diplomatic disputes continue.
    Our news channels

    Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest news and the most important events of the day.

    VK Zen Telegram
    16 comments
    Information
    Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
    1. beeper
      beeper
      +6
      12 February 2022 14: 07
      "The last foothold" is NOT a military term, but a "cinematic name" - this is the "military level" of all these quasi "military experts", which in essence are not much different from stupid "tik-tokers"! request
    2. Nikolay Moroz
      Nikolay Moroz
      +1
      12 February 2022 14: 09
      To keep the adversary and this is NATO .. ​​in constant tension .. you need to listen to Putin and not TIK TOK.
    3. zzdimk
      zzdimk
      +5
      12 February 2022 14: 15
      Why don't their experts use VKontakte? The most recent and verified information is there, and Prokopenko also has it.
    4. zloybond
      zloybond
      +11
      12 February 2022 14: 19
      Putin posted on Tik-Tok a video with maps and a plan to capture the Voronezh and Rostov regions????? Applause for the British Foreign Office and the combative homosexuals of NATO for being observant drinks
    5. yo yo
      yo yo
      +7
      12 February 2022 14: 34
      "TikTok" is a service for creating and viewing short videos (quote from 'Wikipedia')
      That says it all. Here you can create anything you want.
      In short, the reliability is zero.
    6. Denis radish
      Denis radish
      +3
      12 February 2022 15: 03
      My personal IMHO, but how to say)
      This is preparation for an invasion. The invasion of the Western Nazis in the Donbass.
      And the goal of the preparation is to destroy 99% of the Natsik aircraft in the very first day, or even hours: tanks, aircraft, command centers, fortified areas, as well as military and civilian infrastructure. The use of tactical nuclear weapons is also not ruled out.
      So that the former Western partners have neither the sense nor the desire to "enter from the rear."
      And then ... yes, perhaps we will get a hemorrhage from the neighborhood with an uncontrolled, wild territory ... but the same hemorrhoid will happen in the opposite direction. Admirers of Bandera will still let their European friends cry and poop)
    7. Valera75
      Valera75
      +3
      12 February 2022 15: 42
      but data from TikTok and other social networks

      and where are the Yankees scouts, spies, double agents and other specialists? Now tok-tik and facebook they have intelligence of the first instance wassat
    8. Valentine
      Valentine
      +4
      12 February 2022 16: 28
      Yes, Tik Tok is the most authoritative publication, and it can and should be trusted, just like Dozhd and Ekho Moskvy - Morgensterns and Milokhins know better how and what is happening in our General Staff and troops.
    9. NikolayN
      NikolayN
      +5
      12 February 2022 16: 31
      There, in order to capture Ukraine, you need 5 people from different sides with a bag of cookies and a pack of bucks for each. Bucks for the administration, cookies for the people.
    10. gorskova.ir
      gorskova.ir
      +4
      12 February 2022 18: 24
      I don’t even get tired of such “experts” who draw their “knowledge from” tiktok. ”If they have such foreign ministries or representatives in the UN, then there is nothing to be surprised at.
    11. Cherry
      Cherry
      +3
      12 February 2022 18: 27
      but data from TikTok and other social networks suggests otherwise.

      I can't believe my eyes! Washington Post! Or rather, did it slip?
    12. Sergey Latyshev
      Sergey Latyshev
      -2
      12 February 2022 18: 44
      Wait a week or two and you'll see.

      All the media will pretend that they did not write anything about a future war (but someone else did).
      or they will poke a finger like children - it's all their fault ...

      At the same time, they will happily count the prizes, so many articles out of nothing.
      Unemployment globally does not exactly threaten them
    13. consultant
      consultant
      +1
      13 February 2022 14: 40
      Quote: Sergey Latyshev
      Wait a week or two and you'll see.

      Or maybe it won’t be visible - they are transferring everything from November-December to the start of the invasion. And now they can reschedule, for example, to April. The only problem they have is that the stubborn all the delivered weapons will have time to push to the left at dumping prices. On the black market, a strong drop in prices for javelins and the rest is expected)))
    14. BMP-2
      BMP-2
      +1
      13 February 2022 15: 12
      It is a pity that the program "Around Laughter" was closed long ago: it would be the focus of this operational and relevant information! Yes
    15. a67
      a67
      +1
      13 February 2022 16: 48
      data from tik tok
      I've never seen more stupidity
      although these dull daily calls for Western "partners" ... these conversations with the deaf-blind are already tired
    16. Siegfried
      Siegfried
      0
      13 February 2022 19: 06
      Kiev has renounced its obligations under the Minsk agreements. The US is covering up their refusal with a buzz about a pending Russian invasion. This noise should, in their opinion, be superimposed on Russia's actions as a response to Kiev's refusal from Minsk. Only Russia has the time and opportunity to first justify its step (Kiev's refusal, the build-up of the Armed Forces of Ukraine), and then to carry out - the supply of weapons to Donbass.