DOD says Russia developing ‘false flag’ campaign to justify Ukraine invasion

by mcardinal

Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News

 

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters Friday that, even as the U.S. and its allies are attempting to find a diplomatic solution to ongoing tensions, Russia has sent operatives into Ukraine with the hope of creating a pretext for war.

Kirby said the Department of Defense had credible information that Russia had deployed operatives armed with explosives and other weaponry that they’d use to launch attacks on Russian troops, thereby giving Russia the excuse it needs to attack Ukraine.

“We have information that they’ve prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct what we call a false flag operation — an operation designed to look like an attack on … Russian-speaking people in Ukraine, again, as an excuse to go in,” Kirby said.

Kirby stressed that he does not believe Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to invade Ukraine and that he hoped tensions would cool.

“No one wants to see another invasion and incursion of Ukraine,” he said. “We still … believe that there’s time and space for diplomacy.”

He added that Russia was also attempting to create false messages that it will say originated in Ukrainian media, again with the idea of explaining the necessity of an attack.

“We’ve seen this kind of thing before out of Russia,” Kirby said. “When there isn’t an actual crisis to suit their needs, they’ll make one up. So we’re watching for them.”

Friday’s announcement follows about 24 hours of intense criticism hurled at the U.S. and NATO from Russia, which demanded a response within the week of its demands that U.S. and NATO troops be moved farther away from Russia and that NATO not seek to grant membership to Ukraine or any other former Soviet nation.

Kirby reiterated the United States’ commitment to assisting Ukraine in defending itself.

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