The US on Wednesday said its “concern has not diminished an iota” after Moscow claimed it had pulled back some of its forces back from the Ukrainian border, as Estonia said Russian battle groups were approaching before a probable attack to occupy "key terrain" in Ukraine.
Russia announced on Tuesday that some troops were returning home after completing military drills in the Crimean peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, but the US and Nato remain on high alert.
“Our concern has not diminished an iota — in fact, our concern continues to grow,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Wednesday. He added that the US has yet to see de-escalatory efforts from Russia.
“In the absence of de-escalation, we've actually seen escalation. We have some more forces arriving at the border.”
During a call with reporters late on Wednesday, this assertion was further confirmed by a senior official.
“Yesterday, the Russian government said it was withdrawing troops from the border with Ukraine," said the official in a scheduled call to discuss Vice President Kamala Harris’s coming trip to Munich, Germany.
"They received a lot of attention for that claim, both here and around the world. But we now know it was false.
“In the last several days, Russia has increased its troop presence along the border [by] as many as 7,000 troops, with some arriving today."
There have been sightings of additional armoured vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving towards Ukraine’s borders, Britain's defence intelligence chief Jim Hockenhull said in a rare public statement.
Mr Price said a window for diplomacy is still open and suggested Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be open to meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “at the appropriate moment".
Mr Blinken said Russia continues to move troops towards the border despite Moscow publishing a video that it says shows vehicles and artillery units leaving Crimea.
“There's what Russia says and then there's what Russia does. And we haven't seen any pullback of its force,” Mr Blinken told MSNBC.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki added: “We are watching very closely what steps they are taking, but they remain amassed in a threatening way at the border.”
Estonian intelligence is aware of around 10 Russian battle groups of troops moving toward the Ukrainian border, where it estimates about 170,000 soldiers are already deployed, said Mikk Marran, director general of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service.
The attack would include missile bombardment and the occupation of "key terrain", he added.
“If Russia is successful in Ukraine, it would encourage it to increase pressure on the Baltics in the coming years," he said. “The threat of war has become main policy tool for Putin.”
President Joe Biden spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday to discuss the crisis.
"They reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and underscored the importance of continued transatlantic co-ordination on diplomacy and deterrence measures and the reinforcement of Nato's eastern flank if Russia further invades Ukraine," according to a White House readout of the call.
Mr Blinken will travel to Germany this week for the Munich Security Conference, which begins on Friday, to discuss Russian aggression towards Ukraine, the State Department confirmed. US Vice President Kamala Harris is also scheduled to attend.
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday met his Nato counterparts in Brussels, where senior leaders in the alliance demanded a further withdrawal of Russian troops from the border with Ukraine.
In a rare moment of congressional bipartisanship, Democratic and Republican members of Congress pledged to work together if Russia invades Ukraine.
Speaking from the Senate floor, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the president would have “overwhelming bipartisan support” to use his existing executive powers to sanction Russia “in the event of conflict".
Additional reporting by Joyce Karam and agencies
Match info
Uefa Nations League Group B:
England v Spain, Saturday, 11.45pm (UAE)
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
More on Quran memorisation:
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
SCHEDULE
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Amith's predicted winners:
6.30pm: Down On Da Bayou
7.05pm: Etisalat
7.40pm: Mulfit
8.15pm: Pennsylvania Dutch
8.50pm: Mudallel
9.25pm: Midnight Sands
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
