Free Republic

Russian troops are reinforcing their position in Crimea in anticipation of attacks from Ukraine, a Russia-installed regional official admitted. “Fortification works aimed at guaranteeing Crimeans’ security are being conducted under my supervision,” Russia’s regional governor of the annexed peninsula, Sergei Aksyonov, said Friday. The prospect of a showdown over Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 in the clandestine operation that began the war, has loomed into view due to a series of Ukrainian successes in a counteroffensive conducted this fall. Russia’s retreat from the west bank of the Dnieper River not only freed the key city of Kherson...

Russia sends troops to Georgian border to 'set up checkpoint' as Kremlin denies plan to impose martial law and stop people from leaving after 260,000 fled Putin's draft in five days Russian troops were filmed arriving at border with Georgia Monday afternoon FSB said they were there to stop men storming the crossing amid huge queue But it comes amid rumours Putin is preparing to declare martial law and ban fighting-age men from leaving after 260,000 fled in just five days Kremlin denied that any conversations about closing border had taken place Russian troops have been deployed near the border...