Kyiv, Ukraine — For hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, there isn't a evacuation plan if Russia does invade their nation. As CBS Information senior overseas correspondent Charlie D'Agata experiences, folks throughout Ukraine have been on edge for weeks, hoping for any signal of a peaceable decision to the disaster on the nation's borders.
Ukraine's International Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the potential of a summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, saying he hoped it would result in Russia pulling again the estimated 170,000-190,000 troops massed round his nation's northern, japanese and southern borders.
However the glimmer of hope for diplomacy got here on the finish of a weekend filled with dramatic developments.
As D'Agata experiences, Russia made its most elaborate and choreographed present of drive to this point, holding nuclear army drills by land, sea and air. And whereas President Putin was readily available to look at the conflict video games personally, his authorities knew full effectively it wasn't simply Putin watching.
Much more worrying, nonetheless, was the announcement that tens of hundreds of Russian troops in Belarus — poised to strike from simply throughout Ukraine's northwest border — will stay within the nation indefinitely regardless of earlier pledges from Moscow to convey them dwelling after workout routines there concluded on Sunday.
In the meantime, there was a dramatic escalation in shelling by Russian-backed separatists on the entrance traces in japanese Ukraine.
All this whereas the insurgent leaders ramped up the propaganda conflict, warning of an alleged impending assault by Ukrainian forces.
The rebels say tens of hundreds of civilians have been evacuated from their territory into Russia, for their very own security. That has raised fears that Putin would possibly use the pretext of defending ethnic Russians to justify an invasion of Ukraine.
Regardless of the ominous developments over the weekend, nonetheless, it was nonetheless enterprise as regular in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Monday. However D'Agata says the prevailing calm within the metropolis is being examined extra daily by a rising sense of concern.
"After all I'm apprehensive about my security, of my household and my kids, after all," Kyiv resident Maria informed CBS Information.
However Alexei, who additionally lives within the capital, mentioned he had no plans to depart the town but, "as a result of I believe many, many, many data in web, in social media, is simply pretend."
He mentioned he wished folks would "hold calm and consider in Ukraine."
Natalia, who additionally spoke to CBS Information on the streets of Kyiv, admitted to being afraid, nonetheless.
"That is our motherland, our folks, our kids, and that is why I am afraid," she informed D'Agata.
A whole bunch of ladies took half in survival and self-defense programs over the weekend in Kyiv, however they, like all Ukrainians, know their nation's forces aren't any match for the army would possibly of Russia.
No one in Ukraine needs to consider a full-scale invasion is both imminent or inevitable.
The sharp escalation in preventing within the east is probably the most urgent concern in Kyiv proper now.
Over the weekend, D'Agata and his workforce went to the entrance line of the battle that has simmered already for eight years, visiting a location not removed from a current artillery assault.
Ukrainian commanders there informed CBS Information the escalation was like nothing they'd seen in years.