in the Sea of Azov that it claimed was carrying out a “provocation.” And President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin, and the country’s state-run media pumped out more bellicose rhetoric.
Konrad Muzyka, a defense analyst focused on Russia and Belarus, analyzed the Maxar Technologies images for BuzzFeed News. He said Russia had created a new regiment within its 3rd Motor Rifle Division and says that group likely accounted for much of the increase of troops and equipment in Soloti seen in the satellite images between Sept. 7 and Dec. 5. That was two days before Biden’s call with Putin.
In Opuk, Muzyka said, it’s harder to know what is indicated in the satellite images taken on Nov. 27. “The last couple of months, there has been a lot of movement into and out of Crimea. It is done possibly to obfuscate the scale of Russian forces there.”An overview of the Russian's training area, in Opuk, Crimea, on Nov. 26, 2021.
“To me, withdrawal of equipment from storage to create a new unit is an indicator that Russia is preparing for a conflict,” he said. The Biden administration has said it’s considering several options to deter Russia’s aggressive behavior and potentially a new invasion of Ukraine. It has said it may send more military aid to Kyiv, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, and it has floated the idea of sending air-defense systems. And Biden himself has said he's prepared to impose tough new sanctions against Russia — although just how tough remains to be seen.