Her preparations are feverish Ρωσίας to proceed with a large - scale invasion of Ukraine, at least in accordance with US intelligence services, who consider that the Moscow has already developed the 70% of the forces which, in their view, he deems necessary for such a business.
Η Moscow has gathered 110.000 military in borders to Ukraine and may have sufficient capabilities to launch attack within the next two weeks, always according to US intelligence officials who briefed members of the US Congress and European partners in the last few days. USA.
They clarified that they have not reached a conclusion on whether the Russian president Vladimir Putin has decided whether or not to order an attack, but wants to have all the possible options, from the invasion of the Donbass region, which is in the hands of pro-Russian separatists, to the invasion of the entire Ukrainian territory.
"Zelensky overthrow within 48 hours"
As military aid continues to reach Ukraine's border, the Kremlin resident is expected to have enough power to launch a large-scale invasion - somewhere 150.000 men- around mid-February, warned US elected and European partners.
If the Russian president makes the most radical choice, he could encircle Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, and overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky within 48 hours, according to US intelligence.
They warned that such a conflict would have heavy human costs, could cost the lives of 25.000 to 50.000 civilians, 5.000 to 25.000 Ukrainian soldiers and 3.000 to 10.000 Russian soldiers. It could also cause a real tsunami of 1 to 5 million refugees, mostly in Poland.
A first contingent of US troops arrived in the United States on Saturday Poland, where the President of the USA Joe Biden ordered aid to be developed to defend its member country NATO in the event of "any attack", in the midst of ongoing diplomatic ballet in order to persuade the Moscow to withdraw the troops that have gathered at its borders Ukrainian.
Η Russia denies that she is planning an invasion, assures that she just wants guarantees of her own safety. Moscow has also announced joint "military high schools" with Belarus, where it has developed several battalions, north of it Kiev and on the outskirts of Brest, not far from the border with Poland.
In two weeks, according to US intelligence, 60 Russian army battalions have been deployed in the northern, eastern and southern borders of Ukraine, especially in Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow the 2014.
On Friday, they had reached 80, while another 14 are moving from the rest of Russia, especially from Vladivostok, to the Russian Far East, reports APE-MPE.
About 1.500 members of the Russian Special Forces, the fearsome Spetsnaz, have been at the border for a week now, according to US intelligence.
In addition, a strong Russian naval force has been concentrated in the Black Sea. It includes five amphibious boats, which could be used to land on the southern coast of Ukraine, they noted.
Six other vessels were seen departing from the Barents Sea, north of Russia, and circling Britain before crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, heading for the Black Sea, according to US intelligence.
Strong air forces have also been deployed around Ukraine - fighters, bombers, anti-aircraft arrays, etc.
The United States said on Thursday it had "evidence" that Moscow was preparing a fake video allegedly recording a Ukrainian attack to use as a pretext to invade Ukraine. The Russian government has denied this.
Source: CNN