Ukraine Tensions Spike as West Accuses Russia of Lying About Troop Withdrawal
As Russia stoked hopes of a diplomatic solution and claimed to be pulling back forces from the Ukrainian border, U.S. and NATO officials accused Moscow of building up troops instead. By Chibuike Leonard Iwuoha KYIV, Ukraine — Tensions over Ukraine abruptly ratcheted up on Wednesday as Western officials accused Russia of lying about whether it had really begun pulling back troops from the Ukrainian border. After days marked by flickers of hope that the conflict might be resolved peacefully, a senior American official, who refused to be quoted by name, told reporters that far from winding down its deployment, Moscow had added more than 7,000 combatants. Western allies expressed similar doubts about the Russian claims. The American official directly accused Russia of lying, saying there was fresh evidence it was mobilizing for war. British military officials said Wednesday they had spotted Russian armored vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving toward Ukraine’s border. “