According to Russian TELEVISION Today reported on the 24th, after the US and British embassies in Kiev began to recommend the evacuation of non-essential staff and diplomats' families, Ukrainian officials responded that these Americans are safer in Kiev than in Los Angeles. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said after a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine on Monday (24th) that "there is no reason to panic." ”
The Ukrainian government said there was no need to panic and that a Russian "invasion" did not look imminent at all. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said, "The key message is not to panic. ”
Alexey Danilov, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said, "I ask everyone to calm down," adding that Kiev did not believe there was any basis for claims that Russia was about to launch a full-scale "invasion." There has been no "voluntary evacuation" of Ukrainians by foreign diplomats, and only the three embassies are evacuating some of their staff.
The U.S. and British governments have confirmed that they have advised embassy staff and family members of diplomats to leave Kiev, but say this does not equate to "evacuation." BuzzFeed, a U.S. news aggregator, reported on Monday that the distinction apparently failed to reassure Ukrainians, citing an unnamed official close to Zelenskiy.
The official said, "The fact that the United States was the first country to announce this (withdrawal of embassy personnel) is very disappointing, and frankly, these Americans in Kiev are better than they are in Los Angeles ... Or any other crime-ridden city in the U.S. is safer. ”
A spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry tweeted that the evacuation of embassy personnel was a "premature" step and a "sign of excessive caution."
In an interview aired on Monday by the BBC, Danilov sought to downplay the threat of a "Russian invasion," noting that "domestic political events" in the West could be one of the factors contributing to the current situation. He revealed that the number of Russian troops deployed near the border has "not increased" and that they have been conducting military exercises there.
The Ukrainian security official said, "That's their territory, and they have the right to operate there." Uncomfortable for us? Yes, it's unpleasant, but it's not news for us anymore. If this is new to some in the West, I apologize. ”
Danilov said he was "pleased" with the West's action to provide Weapons and other "practical assistance" to Ukraine as a result of this "geopolitical process." He pointed out that the current round of hype about Russia's impending "invasion" began after the US newspaper The Washington Post "ignored" what he actually said in an interview at the end of October.
Source: Global Times New Media