US warns Russia of 'severe consequences' if it invades Ukraine
Washington(PTI): The Biden Administration has warned Russia of severe consequences in case its forces invade Ukraine and insisted on a diplomatic solution to the issue.
We are actively working to reach a diplomatic solution to de-escalate the crisis. Over the weekend, as you all know, the President spoke with President Putin, and we remain engaged with the Russian government in full coordination with our allies and partners, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
The path for diplomacy remains available if Russia chooses to engage constructively, she said.
However, we are clear-eyed about the prospects of that, given the steps Russia is taking on the ground, she said, as President Joe Biden reached out to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to discuss the situation.
The leaders discussed their recent diplomatic engagements with Ukraine and Russia, said the White House in a readout.
They also reviewed ongoing diplomatic and deterrence efforts in response to Russia's continued military build-up on Ukraine's borders and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, it said.
They discussed efforts to reinforce the defensive posture on NATO's eastern flank and underlined the continued close coordination among allies and partners, including on readiness to impose severe consequences on Russia should it choose further military escalation, the White House said.
During the White House news conference, Jean-Pierre said they are in the window when an invasion could begin at any time.
We will not comment on any details of our intelligence information except that it could begin this week, despite a lot of speculation that it would happen after the Olympic. It remains unclear which path Russia will choose to take, she said.
The US is ready for any situation, she asserted.
President Biden has made it very clear on his call with Putin this weekend that if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States, together with our allies and partners, will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia, she noted.
Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia's standing, she said.
At a separate news conference, Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby announced that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is going to travel to Belgium, Poland, and Lithuania.
He will meet with allied defense ministers and NATO leadership to discuss Russia's military build-up in and around Ukraine.
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Heavy rain, hailstorms likely to lash Uttarakhand on Tuesday; IMD issues warning
Dehradun/Pithoragarh (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for heavy rain and hailstorms across several districts of Uttarakhand on Tuesday, as temperatures remained markedly below normal in the region.
Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Most places across all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain or thunderstorms, while higher reaches are likely to witness snowfall, officials said on Monday.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and intense spells of rain in six districts, including Dehradun and Nainital. Gusty winds with speeds reaching 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations in these areas and other hilly districts.
In the state capital, Dehradun, the sky is forecast to remain partly cloudy with light rain and thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 kmph.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city are expected to hover around 31 degrees Celsius and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Maximum temperatures during the past 24 hours remained markedly below normal in the hills and appreciably below normal in the plains. While no significant change in temperature is expected over the next 2-3 days, the IMD predicts a rise of 3-5 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3-4 days.
Rainfall was recorded in several areas after 8.30 am today, with Ramnagar receiving 31.5 mm and Nainital recording 26.5 mm. Other areas, including Pithoragarh, Khatima and Champawat, also reported moderate precipitation.
Authorities have stopped a batch of 36 Adi Kailash pilgrims at the Dharchula base camp and placed the high-altitude yatra route on high alert following heavy rains and hailstorms in the district on Monday.
Dharchula SDM Ashish Joshi said the pilgrimage was halted due to adverse weather conditions. The issuance of new inner-line passes has been suspended until the weather normalises.
With 1,700 passes issued so far, pilgrims already at higher camps are being monitored for safety, the official added.
