Russia’s Sovereign Right to Deploy Troops on National Territory Poses No Threat - Embassy

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Russia has the right to move its own troops within its territory, the Russian embassy in Washington said in response to media speculations about Moscow’s alleged plans to prepare an invasion of Ukraine.

"Russia is not a threat to any country. The deployment of Russian troops on the national territory is our sovereign right and no one's business. It is NATO and its member states that are recklessly moving their military forces and infrastructure to the Russian borders," the Russian embassy said on Facebook in response to an inquiry from The Financial Times on Saturday.

The embassy emphasized that Washington needs to work on making Kiev adhere to the Minsk agreements.

"Last spring hysterical estimations of the US officials on alleged Russian preparations for invasion in Ukraine proved to be wrong," the embassy stressed, commenting on US media reports that Russia could invade Ukraine with 175,000 troops early next year.

Over the past several weeks, Ukraine and some Western countries have expressed concern about the alleged increase in what they characterize as "aggressive actions" by Russia on their border. However, Russia has refuted the accusations by saying it is moving troops within its own territory and at its own discretion.

US President Joe Biden plans to discuss the issue of Ukraine, as well as other topics, during the upcoming video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, December 7.

Biden told reporters earlier this week, answering a question about the issue of Ukraine, that he expected a "long discussion" with the Russian president.

Russia has repeatedly said that it stands by its right to move armed forces freely within its territory. On November 23, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia does not have any aggressive plans with regard to Ukraine. The Kremlin has also expressed concerns about Kiev having aggregated almost half of all its armed forces on the contact line with the Donbas region in the east of the country.