On Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu visited Russian units stationed near the border with Ukraine for a surprise check of their combat readiness. “The troops have shown full readiness and ability to fulfill the tasks of ensuring the country’s military security,” he said. “Currently, these associations and formations are engaged in drills and exercises.” He added that redeployments had taken place “in response to the military activity of the alliance that threatens Russia… Washington’s troops are being transferred from the continental parts of North America across the Atlantic to Europe, and these troops are moving through Europe to the Russian borders. The main forces are concentrated in the Black Sea and the Baltic region.”
On Wednesday, April 14, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev told a meeting in Sebastopol, on the Crimean peninsula, that Ukraine could be planning border provocations against Russia with U.S. backing. If that happens, he said, Russia “is forced to take measures to ensure the security of its territory,” but at the same time, “is interested in conducting negotiations on a political settlement of the situation.” Patrushev was addressing a meeting dedicated to guaranteeing national security in Crimea.