Kurt Volker, former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that he doesn&#39;t believe that there will be any results from negotiation attempts with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Volker, who also served as the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, said that Putin has already made up his mind to destroy Ukraine as a sovereign state and destroy its people and he won&#39;t stop as long as he has this &quot;imperialist mindset.&quot; Volker added that Putin is in &quot;an increasingly weak position&quot; due to Moscow&#39;s failure to capture Ukraine despite the high number of casualties.

Kurt Volker, former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine negotiations, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that he doesn't believe that there will be any results from negotiation attempts with...

US official: Negotiations with Putin won't work

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/RUS_Navi_Crimea_GettyImages-1237994005-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10196"/><figcaption>A screen grab captured from a video shows the more than 20 Russian navy ships started a military drill in the Black Sea, in Russia on January 26, 2022. (Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



A Ukrainian Coast Guard official said that Russian authorities officially denied earlier information that the Azov Sea would be closed to maritime traffic on Feb. 13-19 due to Russian naval exercises. 



Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had earlier said that Russia's planned exercises would fully block the Azov Sea and severely limit the passage in the Black Sea.



The planned naval gunnery exercises, along with land exercises in Belarus, have raised concerns that Russia will use them to initiate a further invasion of Ukraine. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called the situation the biggest security crisis Europe has faced in decades.



U.S. President Joe Biden urged his country's citizens to evacuate Ukraine and to avoid all travel there, as the U.S. will not be able to provide assistance in the event of an escalation.



Observers have pointed out that a blockade would constitute an act of war according to international law. 



The status of maritime routes through the Black Sea during the exercises has not yet been confirmed.

A Ukrainian Coast Guard official said that Russian authorities officially denied earlier information that the Azov Sea would be closed to maritime traffic on Feb. 13-19 due to...

Ukrainian Coast Guard: Russia confirms it will not block Azov Sea traffic for exercises

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/KCH_9097-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9580"/><figcaption>Shelters throughout Kyiv have been identified with arrows and the word "shelter" ("укриття") in red paint. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)</figcaption></figure>



As Russia continues to amass its military forces near Ukraine's borders, foreign politicians and journalists alike say that an attack can happen at any moment.



Throughout the country, many Ukrainians have been preparing: taking first-aid courses, joining the territorial defense squads and learning where the nearest bomb shelters are.



But when it comes to bomb shelters, Ukrainians are facing an unpleasant surprise. 



In Kyiv, officials boast that the city has 4,500 underground locations that can be used as bomb shelters. But in reality, many of them are in a dire state and hard to access. 



The Kyiv Independent visited 10 bomb shelters to check if Kyiv residents will have the chance to use those underground locations marked as shelters <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1nv3QreO1QS5_AmRRNLHXu7u99sKJ6JRR&amp;ll=50.43948441581479%2C30.502664219511257&amp;z=12">on the official map</a>. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/KCH_9086-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9579" width="840" height="560"/><figcaption>At 10A Akademika Filatova St., arrows lead to a large metal door. A sign on the side says that the building is home to multiple businesses. Ringing the numerous bells yielded no results, but a worker left the door ajar, providing access to the basement.(Kostyantyn Chernichkin)</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="has-text-align-center" id="h-bomb-shelters-on-paper-plentiful">Bomb shelters on paper: plentiful</h3>



Kyiv's authorities said they have begun preparations to secure the capital's over 3 million population in case the capital is attacked.



Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Jan. 25 that the city's Cold War-era bomb shelters are prepared to accommodate citizens seeking refuge. He added that the Kyiv metro, originally designed to withstand a nuclear strike, will be used as the main shelter. 



The metro system is equipped with air-tight nuclear blast-resistant steel doors, air ventilators, and water purification systems.



There are 4,500 smaller bomb shelters located in residential, government, and private buildings throughout the city to provide sufficient protection. That's where most people will take cover in case of an emergency and those are the place neglected by the state. The city authorities provided <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1nv3QreO1QS5_AmRRNLHXu7u99sKJ6JRR&amp;ll=50.43948441581479%2C30.502664219511257&amp;z=12">an online map</a> indicating locations and the types of shelters available. 



The city also has around 500 vaults at the critical infrastructure objects, such as factories and hospitals, designed to protect its workers and equipment. 



Authorities told Kyiv's residents that they shouldn't all rely on the metro system for protection; options closer to them should be considered. However, finding shelter in a clump of buildings proved difficult, even in broad daylight and without an ongoing conflict overhead.



<h3 class="has-text-align-center">Bomb shelters in reality: locked, abandoned, neglected</h3>



The reality of Kyiv's bomb shelters contrasts with the picture painted by the city authorities, as the Kyiv Independent discovered when it checked out 10 supposed bomb shelters. 



The majority of the buildings marked as having a bomb shelter had no arrows or signs indicating their whereabouts. None of the tenants knew where the bunker was or even existed when asked.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/KCH_9117-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9581"/><figcaption>The building on 18 John McCain St., was designated as a residential shelter. However, no signs or arrows identified it as such. The only thing resembling a bomb shelter was an unmaintained, inaccessible, rusting door. None of the tenants knew that the government had marked the building as a shelter. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)</figcaption></figure>



One of the buildings on the map, located at 1/22 Cheska Street, provided a telephone number that belonged to the alleged keyholder of the shelter situated in that specific building. 



Upon calling the number and asking about the bomb shelter, the owner, an elderly woman, said that she did not know anything about any bomb shelter and requested to "stop calling," implying there had been many inquiries.



"I told you numerous times I do not know anything about any bomb shelter," the woman replied. The government-provided number appeared to be incorrect.



Meanwhile, locations with easily identifiable shelters were locked, with no indication of how to access them.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/KCH_9075-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9578"/><figcaption>The basement of the 10A Akademika Filatova St. building, where a bomb shelter is supposed to be found. Kostyantyn Chernichkin)</figcaption></figure>



The next shelter on the list, located at 10A Akademika Filatova St., had freshly painted orange arrows, leading to the back of the residential building.



The space was similar to any other building in Kyiv. Rugged cement stairs led down to an entranceway and a hallway that led to the administrative office, a bathroom, and several unmarked office doors.



A large wall with a styrofoam plate covering one side of the wall was placed near the entrance. Removing the cover revealed a dark corridor with dirt floors, rusty walls, and crumbling ceilings.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/KCH_9054-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9577"/><figcaption>The bomb shelter at 10A Akademika Filatova St.: the narrow entrance leads to a larger room with buckets, masks, and old office supplies. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)</figcaption></figure>



Random items, like masks and an office chair, were lying around the room. The room gave off an eerie and uncomfortable feeling. It was forgotten and abandoned.



The next two rooms of the shelter were worse. While they were empty and had no excessive garbage, they had a dirt floor and bare walls, exposing massive cement blocks that made the space unsafe.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/KCH_9022-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9575"/><figcaption>The largest area of the bomb shelter at 10A Akademika Filatova, a residential building, was filled with a large pile of debris, seemingly brick, mortar, and dirt, making the room nearly untraversable. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)</figcaption></figure>



Down the corridor was the third room. The area was in terrible condition and had construction bags, debris, and recently discarded office equipment boxes piled in the room. 



The shelter was clearly abandoned. It was not in the state to house many residents for an extended period, which was said according to Kyiv's official shelter map.



The Kyiv Independent attempted to speak with the administrator of the building but the only worker present stated that she was not aware of any shelter being present on-site and asked the team to leave the building immediately.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/02/KCH_9034-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9576"/><figcaption>A small adjoining room at the back of the bomb shelter at 10A Akademika Filatova St. had two doors, one locked and the other boarded up. (Kostyantyn Chernichkin)</figcaption></figure>



Ukrainian and foreign reporters have been making rounds showing that many of Kyiv's shelters are unprepared, abandoned, or used as offices. Ukrainian media <a href="https://24tv.ua/kyivnews/kiyevi-zamist-bomboshovishha-pratsyuye-strip-klub-novini-kiyeva_n1854354">reported</a> that one bomb shelter in Kyiv is used by a strip club – the Penthouse club at 58 Velyka Vasylkivska St. The club told the media it would let in people seeking shelter in case of an attack.

As Russia continues to amass its military forces near Ukraine's borders, foreign politicians and journalists alike say that an attack can happen at any moment. Throughout the country,...

Kyiv's Cold War-era bomb shelters in dire state (PHOTOS)

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2021/12/5ec3a0677fdb9634603798-by-Dmytro-Kuleba_Facebook-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2916"/><figcaption>Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba addressed foreign journalists on Feb. 2, 2022 in an online press conference. (Photo: Facebook Dmytro Kuleba)</figcaption></figure>



Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held a briefing for journalists from foreign media outlets on Feb. 2, to address recent developments in Russia's ongoing military build-up around Ukraine.



Kuleba said that an attack is not "imminent" and that there is room for diplomacy, despite conflicting messages from Ukraine's strategic partners. He also disagreed with the decision, first made by the U.S., to authorize non-essential embassy staff withdrawal from Kyiv, calling it "a premature decision and does not correspond to reality."



The U.S. State Department has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/us-orders-diplomats-families-to-leave-kyiv-citing-threat-of-russian-military-action/" rel="noreferrer noopener">authorized</a>&nbsp;the departure of non-essential employees and the family members of diplomats stationed at the Kyiv embassy, on Jan. 23, citing potential Russian military escalation.



Canada, Australia and the U.K. have followed suit, angering authorities in Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelensky called the decision "rushed."



The European Union and its member countries didn't enact the same <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/uk-begins-to-withdraw-non-essential-embassy-staff-eu-wont-do-the-same-says-borell/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">measures</a>, with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell confirming that the EU is not “going to do the same thing, because we do not know any specific reasons.”



The Kyiv's dissatisfaction was heard in Washington.



White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that she will no longer describe a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine as "imminent," suggesting the word sent an unintended message.



"We stopped using it because I think it sent a message that we weren't intending to send, which was that we knew President (Vladimir) Putin had made a decision," Psaki said on Feb. 2.



Russia has amassed over 120,000 troops, a wide range of military equipment and aircraft concentrated along Ukraine's border with Russia and the Kremlin's ally Belarus.



New satellite imagery, collected and analyzed by Maxar, showed ongoing steady Russian military deployment near Ukraine's border. In an accompanying note, Maxar said the deployments "reflect an increased level of activity and readiness."



In addition to military pressure, Kuleba reminded that Russia wants to destabilize Ukraine through cyberattacks and misinformation.



Kuleba asked the West to be proactive when dealing with Russia, as the Kremlin made no effort to de-escalate or pursue diplomacy. Kuleba echoed Zelensky's earlier remarks that sanctions against the Kremlin should come as a preemptive measure.



“Let’s impose sanctions first, and then whether they stop Russia – we will see,” Zelensky said after he <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/johnson-sanctions-the-minute-russian-troops-further-invade-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">met</a> with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who visited Kyiv on Feb. 1.



Kuleba continued that It is Russia that delayed, stopped or derailed meetings in the past, not Ukraine. Regardless, Ukraine wishes to resolve all issues diplomatically and is willing to meet Russia under one of the many proposed formats.



Kuleba asked Ukraine's allies to provide specific sanction lists and to continue providing Ukraine with military aid.to clearly define what consequences Russia would face should further invade Ukraine. Russia must pay " a very high price," in the case of an invasion, said the foreign minister.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held a briefing for journalists from foreign media outlets on Feb. 2, to address recent developments in Russia's ongoing military build-up around Ukraine. Kuleba...

Kuleba: Russian attack is not 'imminent'

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/01/DSC_3915-1200-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-8190"/><figcaption>For the first time since the conflict began, Russian authorities openly discuss arming Russian-led militants in Donbas. (mil.ru) </figcaption></figure>



Russian authorities have started to openly discuss the possibility of supplying the Russian-led militants in Ukrainian Donbas with weapons. 



Andrei Turchak, the general council secretary of United Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin's party, said on Jan. 26 that Moscow should supply militants with weapons "to deter Kyiv's, clearly planned, military aggression."



Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that there is a possibility of Russia supplying militants with "certain types of weapons."



These are the first official statements by Russian authorities that discuss sending weapons to the occupied territories in Ukraine, a fact that the Kremlin has been denying throughout the conflict.



The statements come as tensions continue to rise amid Russia's military buildup in what Western and Ukrainian intelligence see as a threat of a large-scale invasion of Ukraine. 



Russia's involvement in the war in eastern Ukraine is well known and documented. There is mounting evidence of the fact from numerous sources including observers of the <a href="https://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2020/05/14/osce-condemns-russias-ongoing-arms-supplies-to-donbas/">Organization</a> for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigators such as <a href="https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2016/08/31/russias-war-ukraine-medals-treacherous-numbers/">Bellingcat</a>.



In November, a Russian court has <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/russian-court-openly-documents-moscows-military-presence-in-donbas/">overtly documented</a> the regular presence of the Russian military in Donbas by publishing documentation in a corruption case against a local company in charge of ration supplies for troops.&nbsp;



Since 2014, Russia has been supplying military equipment and troops to maintain the war it unleashed in Donbas. 



The arms deliveries are generally disguised as humanitarian aid, delivered using transport or unmarked military trucks. The OSCE has <a href="https://www.osce.org/special-monitoring-mission-to-ukraine/390179">recorded</a> deliveries of this nature for years, while their observers have been prohibited from investigating the cargo or the storage depots.



On Jan. 26, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has released a report identifying various modern Russian-made weapons, in use by Russian-backed militants in Donbas. Among the weapons were anti-personnel mines banned by the 1997 Ottawa convention and handheld rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPG-32) Barkas.



Accusing Ukraine of planning to use military force in Donbas is a common narrative spread by Russian politicians and media. Ukraine and its strategic partners have voiced concerns that Russia may use a <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/biden-aide-russia-prepares-pretext-for-potential-invasion-of-ukraine/">false-flag</a> attack as justification to invade.



Since November, Russia has elevated tensions on Ukraine's border by massing over 120,000 troops along with tanks, artillery and other <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/russia-brings-more-tanks-artillery-to-ukrainian-border/">military equipment</a>. Additionally, Russia has moved troops and equipment into <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/russia-moves-troops-to-belarus-ahead-of-february-joint-military-drills/">Belarus,</a> Ukraine's northern neighbor, allegedly for joint training exercises.



In mid-December, Russia published a draft of security guarantees, demanding the U.S. and NATO agree to the terms. This led to several <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/diplomacy-week-ends-with-no-resolution-russian-threats/">negotiations</a> between Russia and the West throughout January, which have failed to yield any results.



The U.S. and several other nations have partially <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/us-orders-diplomats-families-to-leave-kyiv-citing-threat-of-russian-military-action/">evacuated</a> embassy staff and advised their citizens to leave Ukraine, citing fears of a Russian invasion. However, the <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/uk-begins-to-withdraw-non-essential-embassy-staff-eu-wont-do-the-same-says-borell/">European Union</a> has not followed suit, with Estonia's ambassador to Ukraine, Kaimo Kuusk, stating that Estonia will not evacuate its staff as there’s no need for panic.

Russian authorities have started to openly discuss the possibility of supplying the Russian-led militants in Ukrainian Donbas with weapons. Andrei Turchak, the general council secretary of United Russia,...

Russia considers openly supplying weapons to its proxies occupying eastern Ukraine

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/01/Ukraine-corruption.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-8070"/><figcaption>Ukraine's corruption perception has been downgraded in 2021, according to a report by the watchdog Transparency International. (Transparency International Ukraine)</figcaption></figure>



Ukraine has slipped in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) <a href="https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021">released</a> annually by the watchdog Transparency International.



In 2021, Ukraine earned 32 points out of 100, one point less than in the previous year. It placed 122nd out of 180 countries analyzed. 



"This decline in error indicates a period of stagnation. The authorities are delaying the implementation of many important anti-corruption promises," said Andriy Borovik, executive director of Transparency International Ukraine.



Compared to its neighbors, Ukraine was only ahead of Russia, which placed 136th, with 29 points. Slovakia improved the most, gaining 3 points, while Belarus was the worst performer, dropping 6 points. 



The report highlighted that Ukraine's improvements were not enough to outweigh the negatives in the corruption fight.



The report attributed several factors to Ukraine's poor performance last year. The main factors were the delayed <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/politics/selection-panel-launches-judicial-reform/">judicial reform</a>, anti-monopoly legislation, and the Constitutional Court's interference in anti-corruption work.



The <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/reform-watch-rule-of-law-reforms-blocked-by-corrupt-actors/">failure</a> to form an independent and professional judiciary had the largest impact on Ukraine's score. Implementing an independent judiciary was among Transparency International's five recommendations to improve Ukraine's score in 2022.



The watchdog also recommended adopting an anti-corruption strategy, implementing constitutional reform and increasing transparency.

Ukraine has slipped in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released annually by the watchdog Transparency International. In 2021, Ukraine earned 32 points out of 100, one point less...

Transparency International: Ukraine's fight against corruption stagnated in 2021

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/01/209842181_2983363878618696_1289725833506280953_n-1024x648.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7962"/><figcaption>Kaimo Kuusk stated that the Estonian embassy is working as usual and he believes there is no reason for panic. (Estonian Embassy in Kyiv/facebook)</figcaption></figure>



The U.K. began to recall non-essential staff from its embassy in Kyiv on Jan. 24, amid growing fears of a full-scale Russian invasion.



The U.K. Foreign Office had issued a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">statement</a> saying that “some embassy staff and dependents are being withdrawn from Kyiv in response to growing threat." Despite the decrease in its staff, "the British Embassy remains open and will continue to carry out essential work,” the statement reads.



The U.S. has made a similar&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/us-orders-diplomats-families-to-leave-kyiv-citing-threat-of-russian-military-action/" rel="noreferrer noopener">decision</a>&nbsp;a day prior and has advised U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine. The U.S. Embassy remains operational, with the Charge d'Affaires Kristina Kvien remaining in office.



The U.S. and the U.K. have made the decision following the failure to reach an agreement with Russia over its ongoing escalation. The ongoing diplomatic effort led by the West has had&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/us-russia-agree-to-continue-ukraine-talks-after-blinken-lavrov-meeting/" rel="noreferrer noopener">no positive effect</a>&nbsp;so far.



Despite that, the European Union and its member countries have not followed suit, with EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell confirming that the EU is not "going to do the same thing, because we do not know any specific reasons."



Estonia's ambassador to Ukraine, Kaimo Kuusk, said that Estonia will not evacuate its staff as there's no need for panic.



"The Estonian embassy is working as usual," said Kuusk.



According to the latest intelligence data, Moscow has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/investigation-russian-troops-sent-toward-ukraine-for-mysterious-6-9-month-missions/" rel="noreferrer noopener">concentrated</a>&nbsp;over 120,000 troops in regions surrounding Ukraine, and also deployed a large number of combat-ready weaponry and military hardware from its distant districts.



Furthermore, the British government has accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine, in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kyivindependent.com/politics/who-is-murayev-a-man-uk-exposes-as-potential-leader-of-kremlins-coup/" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 22.

The U.K. began to recall non-essential staff from its embassy in Kyiv on Jan. 24, amid growing fears of a full-scale Russian invasion. The U.K. Foreign Office had...

UK begins to withdraw non-essential embassy staff, EU 'won't do the same,' says Borrell

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/01/Murayev.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-7883"/><figcaption>Former Ukrainian MP and leader of the pro-Russian Nashi party Yevhen Murayev is a candidate to lead a Russian-installed government in Ukraine, according to the U.K. government. (nashi.ua)</figcaption></figure>



The British government has accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine, in a statement on Jan. 22.



"We have information that indicates the Russian government is looking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv as it considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine," the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/kremlin-plan-to-install-pro-russian-leadership-in-ukraine-exposed" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;published on the UK government website reads.



Former Ukrainian pro-Russian lawmaker Yevhen Murayev, owner of Nash TV channel, is "being considered as a potential candidate" to lead the puppet pro-Russian government, according to the report.



"We will not tolerate the Kremlin plot to install pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine," U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Jan. 23. "The Kremlin knows a military incursion would be a massive strategic mistake and the U.K. and our partners would impose a severe cost on Russia."



According to the press release, U.K. has information indicating that Russian intelligence services are in contact with four pro-Russian politicians that were part of the government of Kremlin-backed Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted during the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014.



According to CNN, which quoted sources in the State Department, the U.S. "has the same information."



The Russian Foreign Ministry denied the claims, stating that it's all disinformation, and blamed the U.K. and NATO for attempting to escalate tensions.



The wrong pro-Russian



Ukrainian political observers began questioning the information provided by the UK government.



Despite being excessively pro-Russian, the former lawmaker had a rocky relationship with Moscow after declining the invitation to join Kremlin-backed politician Viktor Medvedchuk and his Opposition Platform political project.



In 2018, the Kremlin added Murayev to its sanctions list set to "protect the interests of Russians and Russian companies."



Murayev ended up stuck between a rock and a hard place.



His views have echoed Kremlin’s propaganda. He has called the Russia-backed war in eastern Ukraine a “civil war” and the 2014 pro-Western EuroMaidan Revolution a coup d’etat. He is also vocal in attacking Ukrainian politicians and cultural figures.



Meanwhile, in early 2019, he accused Medvedchuk of being behind the Russian sanctions imposed on him, saying that its a punishment for not joining Medvedchuk's project.



“Everything (Medvedchuk) touches has no political future,” he said of his former ally. “Everything collapses and fades, birds stop singing," Murayev said.



Murayev was also one of the first whistleblowers about the alleged connection between pro-Kremlin Medvedchuk and then President Petro Poroshenko.



“We have only one postman who tells Poroshenko what Putin wants, and who tells Putin what Poroshenko wants,” Murayev said in 2019.



Poroshenko was charged with high treason in December. He is suspected of conspiring with Medvedchuk to supply coal from Russian-occupied territories in eastern Ukraine in 2014-2015 when Poroshenko was president. If found guilty, the former leader faces 12-15 years in prison.



Medvedchuk has also been charged in the case and remains under pre-trial house arrest since May.



Meanwhile, Murayev remains relatively popular with the help of his Nash (Ours) TV channel. After the closure, in February, of three pro-Russian TV channels linked to Medvedchuk - NewsOne, 112 Channel and ZIK - Murayev's ratings went up.



According to December pollster by Rating Group, Murayev's Nashi party polls at 5.7% slightly over the parliament threshold, yet still behind the main pro-Kremlin party - Medvedchuk's Opposition Platform - which has 10.5% and 44 seats in parliament.



The information about a potential Kremlin-backed coup was released a day after yet another meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov concluded without results.



In recent weeks, the U.K. has proven to be one of Ukraine's most important partners against Russian aggression. In addition to supplying&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/uk-provides-ukraine-with-anti-tank-weapons/" rel="noreferrer noopener">military aid</a>, Britain is attempting to defuse tensions through diplomatic means. The U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu are set to meet in Moscow. The date of the meeting has not been set.



"I lean towards the version that this is a deliberate 'leak' from Russia, which also reflects the competition between various pro-Russian groups in Ukraine," wrote pro-government political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko on Facebook.



"But in any case, the Foreign Office statement is a good reason for Ukraine's Security Service to take on Murayev, his allies and his channel, which for almost a year has become the main mouthpiece of pro-Russian propaganda in Ukraine," he added.



This isn't the first time a Kremlin-backed coup is mentioned by top officials.



President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 26 that audio recordings obtained by the Ukrainian intelligence show Ukrainian and Russian representatives discuss the richest Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov’s alleged participation in a coup scheduled for Dec. 1-2.



“(According to the data), $1 billion will be spent. (Akhmetov) is being pulled into a war against the Ukrainian state, and I believe that he has started it, and that will be a big mistake,” Zelensky said.



Akhmetov responded that the information is “an absolute lie,” claiming he roots for “an independent, democratic, and united Ukraine with Crimea and his home region, Donbas.”

The British government has accused the Kremlin of seeking to install a pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine, in a statement on Jan. 22. "We have information that indicates the...

Who is Murayev, the man UK exposes as potential leader of Kremlin's coup

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/01/d92cea4bb3f110ae367c9a64b7198ecd_1642687305_extra_large-1024x684.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-7733"/><figcaption>President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and President of Poland Andrzej Duda pose for a photo during their meeting in Warsaw, Poland on Jan. 20, 2022. (president.gov.ua)</figcaption></figure>



President Volodymyr Zelensky concluded a two-day visit to Poland, where he met with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Jan. 20. 



After being brought up to date on Russia's looming <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/tag/russias-war/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">threat of invasion</a>, Duda pledged to stand with Ukraine. 



"In the face of the (Russian) threat, Ukraine can count on Poland's support," said Duda's press secretary Jakub Komuch. "Ukraine's security is part of our own security."



The presidents warned Russia that aggression against Ukraine will be extremely costly, in terms of sanctions and troop casualties, in the event of an invasion.



According to Komuch, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was discussed as having a significant impact on Europe's energy security and the project that has "no serious defenders" in Ukraine or Poland.



Nord Stream 2 is an undersea gas pipeline from Russia to Germany allowing Russia to bypass Ukraine. If it’s allowed to operate, Ukraine can lose up to $2 billion in transit fees per year, as well as an important bargaining chip to hold back Russia’s aggression.



Zelensky said that during his visit, the two leaders discussed "security challenges, removal of obstacles in the transport sphere, strengthening of energy cooperation."



Ukraine and Poland have had a complicated relationship that dates back to the early 20th century. In the final years of World War II, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) killed from 36,000 to 100,000 Poles, according to different estimates, in the historic region of Volhynia, most of which is now within western Ukraine. 



While the Polish government and individual Ukrainian historians have called it a genocide, many in Ukraine have played down the killings, stating that both sides committed atrocities during the war. Several thousands of Ukrainians were also killed during the conflict.



The major <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/major-cyberattack-hits-ukrainian-government-websites/">cyberattack</a> on Ukraine on Jan. 13, which was <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/ukraine-evidence-implies-russia-behind-cyberattack-on-government-websites/">most likely</a> perpetrated by Russia, came with a message in Ukrainian, Russian and Polish, claiming to be revenge for the UPA and "historical lands" including Volhynia.



Polish Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Łukasz Jasina called the cyberattack statement "a repeated attempt to destabilize Ukrainian-Polish relations."



Despite the historic disputes, lately Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, as well as one of its largest trade partners and a provider of military assistance.

President Volodymyr Zelensky concluded a two-day visit to Poland, where he met with Polish President Andrzej Duda on Jan. 20. After being brought up to date on Russia's...

Poland pledges support to Ukraine in face of Russian threat

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://api.kyivindependent.com/storage/2022/01/INR_2749-1200-1024x683.jpg.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-7640"/><figcaption>Russia has been positioning its military on Ukraine's borders to pressure Ukraine and the West into accepting its "security guarantees." (Russian Ministry of Defence)</figcaption></figure>



Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov made a statement on Jan. 20 which has been perceived as a veiled threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. 



Peskov expressed his concerns that implementation by the U.S. of new financial sanctions on Russia will encourage Ukrainian leadership to "start a new civil war," a remark which was interpreted in Ukraine as a threat of a Russian attack justified by a <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/russian-led-militants-release-toxic-ammonia-in-donbas-provoking-red-flag-fears/">false-flag</a> operation. 



Russia maintains that the current conflict in Ukraine, ongoing since 2014, is a "civil war." This has been disproven by a large body of evidence showing direct Russian intervention.



Ukrainian and U.S. officials have reported that any further Russian invasion will most likely take place following a false-flag operation, which would seek to justify Russia's military actions.



"(New sanctions) can inspire completely erroneous hopes in the hot heads of some representatives of Ukraine's leadership, who can decide on the sly to start a new civil war in their country and try to solve the problems of the southeast by force. We are afraid in this regard," Peskov said on Jan. 20.



As negotiations between Russia and the West <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/diplomacy-week-ends-with-no-resolution-russian-threats/">concluded</a> without results, the focus has shifted to deterring a Russian invasion and providing Ukraine with military aid. The <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/the-united-states-will-provide-ukraine-with-an-additional-200-million-military-aid-package/">U.S.</a>, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/uk-provides-ukraine-with-anti-tank-weapons/">U.K.</a> and several other European partners have increased military assistance to Ukraine this month.



Russia has massed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders, along with thousands of tanks, artillery pieces and other technology. U.S. President Joe Biden <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/biden-predicts-russia-will-move-in-ukraine-while-zelensky-downplays-invasion-threat/">stated</a> that he believes a Russian invasion of Ukraine is imminent. 



A large number of Russian troops have recently <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/national/russia-moves-troops-to-belarus-ahead-of-february-joint-military-drills/">deployed </a>to Belarus, supposedly for military exercises. This positioning will enable Russia to strike from multiple sides.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov made a statement on Jan. 20 which has been perceived as a veiled threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Peskov expressed...

Peskov makes veiled threat: Sanctions will lead to invasion of Ukraine

Sergiy Slipchenko is a staff writer at the Kyiv Independent. He studied at York University in Toronto, Canada and worked as a reporter at the Kyiv Post.

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