Ukraine, Russia in tense situation: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Christopher Walker, ex-Moscow correspondent for the Times from London, about Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) saying that twenty-five Ukrainians suspected of planning terrorist attacks on Russian soil have been arrested.

What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: First of all, do you think that the Ukrainian security agency was actually involved in some kind of operation against Russia? What do you think the nature of that operation was? Was it an operation to attack areas as Russia claims?

Walker: I think it could well be and that the Ukrainians know they have got no power to take on the Russian army on the ground as it were in a conventional war.

So this would be an obvious way of seeking some sort of revenge from what they see was the illegal attack on the Crimea and the future prospects of possibly further attacks to liberate Russians in east of the Ukraine.

I mean we have not been told what the targets were but one can imagine they were possible state institutions or they were more sinisterly public places designed to spread a wave of terror, railway stations and the like.

Either way it is a worrying development for the Russians but the fact they have already rounded these clarities up mean that their own intelligence organization, the FSB which is a lot more powerful and far reaching than the Ukrainian one is probably on top of the situation.

Press TV: Well Mr. Walker, this comes after Ukraine’s security services said that they detained two Russians, who they said were planning to take Ukrainian politicians hostage.

Do you think that this arrest of the Ukrainians could be a response to that allegation?

Walker: It could certainly well be a tit for tat, the type we’re usually used to when hostile countries kick out their diplomats. If so it is a fairly large percentage, that is 25 for 2. But I’m sure there is an element of that in it. I mean the timing is not totally coincidental.

Press TV: So do you think that this is going to cause rather more tension between Russia and Ukraine or do you think that these kinds of operations we even might see more of them?

There are actually plans by Ukraine according to Russia to launch even more attacks in Russia or to create insecurity in Russia?

Walker: Yes I think it certainly will increase. Well it is already a very tense situation and of course what could further make matters worse is if we have some sort of show trial where people, you know, who may well have been badly treated get up and make confessions. It is a new avenue and something that we know this is the first time with these two tits for tats that has happened.

Press TV: And just quickly before we let you go, you know some people might say the fact that the Ukrainian security agency is sending people to carry out military operations or attacks in Russia may seem quite unnatural.

How effective could this actually be? Why would Ukraine do something like that?

Walker: No it is not like that they will have a big effect but as I said they cannot do anything else. There is no way they can conventionally stand up to the Russians. We saw that when the soldiers had to ignominiously leave bases in the Crimea.

So this is you know usual terrorism, attack the soft underbelly of your enemy.