UK's Johnson Warns Moscow Ukraine May Become 'New Chechnya' If Invaded

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2022) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Monday that a purported Russian invasion of Ukraine would be "disastrous" and a "painful, violent and bloody business" that may become "a new Chechnya" for Moscow.

"We need to make it very clear to the Kremlin, to Russia, that that would be a disastrous step. And so what we are saying is that the UK is leading on creating a package of economic sanctions, working with our partners around the world... but we also need to get over the message that invading Ukraine from the Russian perspective is going to be a painful, violent and bloody business. And I think it's very important that people in Russia understand that this could be a new Chechnya," Johnson told the press at Milton Keynes University.

The remarks come a few hours after the UK began to withdraw some embassy staff and their family members from Ukraine over the "growing threat from Russia."

The precarious situation around Ukraine has taken shape over the past several months after Russia was accused of a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border and allegedly preparing for an invasion. Moscow has denied these accusations, pointing to NATO's military activity near Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. Russia has also said it has the right to move its forces within its own territory.