Ukraine Fears Russian Reprisal after Armored Units Deploy To Protect Russian Cities Close to Shared Border After Drone Attack
(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine fears Russian reprisals after using UAVs to attack separatists when the Kremlin deployed armored units and defenses. Moscow officials sent the units to cities close to the shared border to prevent any hostilities pour-over.

The appearance of drones in the conflict with Russian-backed separatists is feared as an unwanted development by Moscow.

Between Russia and Ukraine, both countries are not on good terms as the US and UK have thrown their support to Kyiv.

Fears of impending war near the Ukrainian border

The recent drone strikes carried out by Ukraine against separatists in its eastern provinces have been a cause of concern, noted Moscow, reported the Express UK.

Footage of the armored units of the Russian armed forces has been posted on social media, and all are deployed in the west of Russian. One of the clips was uploaded on October 27, showing rail trains with main battle tanks, fuel trucks, ambulances, and BYR-80 armored personnel carriers.

The movement of Soviet hardware was seen and recorded by a civilian going to Kursk city, cited Twitter.

One of the videos that the same motorist filmed saw the Iskander tactical missile system on the move on a road near the city of Bryansk.

Military officials have great concern that Kursk and Bryansk cities are close to 200-kilometers from the Ukraine border.

Other clips show the Maslovka railway station located in Voronezh crammed with Russian military hardware, like in April, Russia sent 10,000 troops to the Ukrainian borders.

Russian military hardware deployed

Armed units consisted of 2S19 "Msta-S" howitzers, BMP AFVs, and Mt-LB multi-purpose armored carrier that was on the move to secure the border. This fuels Ukraine's fears of Russian reprisals because of the deployment.

Read Also: Russia Fires at Practice Targets in Crimean Waters To Warn Off US and UK From Further Territorial Violations

Michael Kofman, a director of Russia Studies at the Centre for Naval Analyses (CNA), said this about the situation. He stated that a military movement could be observed and a concern, and it might develop into a serious situation.

Kofman added there might be something happening soon, like in the winter of 2015. But it is not a drill at all, and there are wars in the winter.

During January 2015, a breakout of hostilities involving Ukrainian forces and separatists with the Kremlin's backing. That went on after the ceasefire fell apart in September 2014, called the Minsk Protocol.

It was the one thing keeping a shooting war from erupting, its cessation was unfortunate. Next was a series of armed clashes at the Donetsk International Airport and at Debaltseve, followed by a truce on February 12, 2015, the Minsk II.

Ukrainian drone attack ignites conflict 

Next, this week, the use of TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV), made by Turkey to conduct strikes against separatists at Donbas.

One report said a D-30 howitzer was fired on, called a retaliatory strike note by the Ministry of Defense. Previously, two Ukrainian soldiers died after an antigovernment militia attacked them, note the Moscow Times.

Donetsk rebels alleged that Kiev authored a drone attack against an oil facility in Donetsk last Thursday, claiming it failed to cause damage.

A Russian state body on defense said that Ukraine should restrain itself, or the conflict might be more than it bargained for. The move of armor made and Ukraine fears Russian reprisals, but it is own doing allegedly.

Related Article: Putin Slams the West for Military Support of Ukraine; Russia Outrageous at the US for Dubious Moves