Destabilization of Donbas highly probable, says defense ministry

The probability of a destabilization in Donbas by
Russian forces is high, Deputry Defense Minister Hanna Maliar told the
Finances, the FT reported on Nov. 14. The change in the situation in Donbas
could occur as early as this winter, she noted. Maliar pointed out that along
with the more than 90,000 troops currently massed along the border between
Russia and Ukraine, Ukraine’s western partners were sharing intelligence
regarding the Kremlin’s preparations for a possible invasion.

Also on Nov. 14, the Daily Mail reported that up to
“600 SAS and paratroopers” were being put on alert for a possible deployment to
Ukraine. The source for the claim was not named.

James Hydzik: While the Daily Mail’s claims are thus far unsubstantiated, the general
consensus is that the security situation may become less stable in the region
than it is now. The combined threat of the Belarusian authorities piercing the
border with EU countries (and possibly sending migrants to Ukraine instead) and
the perceived crumbling of the status quo along the Russian-Ukrainian border
puts a line of contact thousands of kilometers long from Latvia to the Black
Sea in focus.