Russia May Be Able To Attack Ukraine From The Inside

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🗓️ 16 February 2022

⏱️ 15 minutes

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Summary

Despite reports that Russia may have withdrawn some troops from the Ukraine border, NATO says there's no evidence of de-escalation and forces remain ready to attack. But it's not just the border that is at risk.

NPR correspondent Frank Langfitt reports on hybrid war tactics like cyberattacks that Russia can, and may already be using to spark unrest in Ukraine.

And Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Russian journalist Vladimir Pozner about how the crisis feels in his country.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	The city of Laviv in western Ukraine is about as far away from the Russian border as you can get,
0:06.5	which is exactly what Svetlana Frolovah had in mind when she and her five-year-old son
0:12.1	tracked over from their hometown, Harkiv.
0:14.9	And nowhere, that is, the map is running.
0:18.7	Frolovah told MPR's Joanna Kakissis that she's in Laviv because she's afraid.
0:24.1	Her town is just 25 miles from the Russian border, so with the ongoing threat of a Russian invasion,
0:29.9	she took her five-year-old son and headed west.
0:34.8	It's all much better organized than our hometown, where there are no shelters and it feels much more dangerous.
0:40.9	Laviv is a short drive from neighboring Poland and has become a de facto safe haven for those who fear conflict with Russia.
0:48.4	Back in 2014, thousands of Ukrainians relocated there as war over Crimea began.
0:54.3	It is the safer zone. Yeah, it is. And the possibility of invasion getting right here is rather small.
1:03.0	Tour guide Ivanka Onak explains that it's not just the physical distance that creates the feeling of safety.
1:10.0	It's also the fact that this part of Ukraine has more cultural influence from Europe.
1:15.4	This city, from its very beginnings, was connected and incorporated into the cultural space of Europe in general.
1:24.2	Walking over the streets in Laviv, you might see whole Europe in miniature.
1:29.6	Laviv is also where the U.S. and other embassies have moved their staff and operations in recent days.
1:35.4	The fact remains right now Russia has more than 150,000 troops in circling Ukraine and Belarus and along Ukraine's border.
1:44.0	And invasion remains distinctly possible.
1:46.9	Yesterday, President Biden gave an update on the situation at the Ukrainian border.
1:51.3	That's why I've asked several times that all Americans in Ukraine leave now before it's too late to leave safely.
2:01.4	It is why we have temporarily relocated our embassy from Kiev to Laviv.
2:07.6	But despite the rising tensions, Biden reiterated that there's still time for diplomacy and that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to keep an open line of communication.
	...

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