Russia evokes a Western “hysteria”

The situation in Ukraine worries the United States, President Joe Biden having placed 8,500 soldiers on alert, ready to be deployed. On the side of the Kremlin, “we denounce hysteria in Europe and accuse NATO and the United States of exacerbating tensions by announcing that they will send new forces to eastern Europe”, reports the journalist Luc Lacroix, in duplex from Moscow (Russia) in the 23 hours of Franceinfo Monday January 24.

He explains that here the “The official story is that it is Russia that is threatened on its borders by NATO and by Ukraine. And this story, I think, imprints a little on the Russians.” However, the journalist points out that “the majority of the population does not want an armed conflict and they seem to be waiting to see what card Vladimir Putin will play”. Luc Lacroix says that as far as the Kremlin is concerned, he “wants to show that it is ready for all options, including armed conflict. Even if Russia denies wanting to attack Ukraine, it wants to show that this scenario is possible, it is credible. Why? Because that allows him to remain in control of the escalation and that until then, this strategy has allowed him to impose his agenda.” Finally, he explains that the financial markets are “very worried about the possibility of conflict and economic sanctions. The ruble and the Moscow stock market fell sharply today”.