Russia poised to attack Ukraine at any moment from ALL sides – ‘starting with blitz on Kyiv’
RUSSIA has massed such a huge force it can attack Ukraine from all sides — starting with a blitz on capital Kyiv, intelligence sources said last night.
President Vladimir Putin is likely to strike without warning, possibly tomorrow, but Britain and the US said there is still hope for peace.
They insisted “there is a window for diplomacy”.
But a Western intelligence assessment reveaed: “We would expect multiple sequenced attacks and not a single strike.”
It could mean a sudden thrust against Kyiv, using precision strikes.
Other key cities would be encircled by Putin’s tanks and troops while being pounded by planes and helicopter gunships.
The grave assessment came as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky declared tomorrow a day of unity and urged his people to stand and sing the national anthem at 10am.
He said: “We do not know how to give up and we will not learn to do so. We believe in our own strength and will continue to build the future together. We are united by love for Ukraine.”
Last night Boris Johnson held crisis talks with US President Joe Biden, after saying it was “pretty clear” Russia will invade within days.
He warned an invasion would result in a “protracted crisis with far reaching damage for both Russia and the world.” But a Downing Street spokesman insisted there “remained a crucial window for diplomacy and for Russia to step back from its threats towards Ukraine”.
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No10 said Boris and Biden had agreed to stay in touch as the situation “evolves”.
Reports warned 60 per cent of Russia’s ground forces are in striking range.
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The PM cut short a tour of Scotland and was holed up with spy chiefs. Mr Johnson warned: “This is a very, very dangerous, difficult situation. We are on the edge of a precipice. The signs are . . . they’re at least planning for something that could take place in the next 48 hours. That is extremely concerning.”
After chairing an emergency Cobra meeting, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said an invasion could be imminent and urged all Brits to evacuate by any means they can.
Briefing MPs privately, Ms Truss said she believes invasion to be “highly likely”. Mr Johnson will host further talks for intelligence and military chiefs today.
Armed forces minister James Heappey said “all the conditions are set for the Russians to launch an attack”, adding that it “could happen with no notice”.
He said: “This isn’t a warning about something that could happen in three months’ time. This isn’t a warning that would be followed by further warnings.”
He said an Afghanistan-style airlift would be rendered impossible if Russia controlled the skies. Putin has formed 100 battle groups on the border — up from 60 last month and 80 last week.
Nato leaders have been warned another 13 are on their way. The 100 figure was seen as key for an attack that could simultaneously hit Kyiv and encircle Ukraine’s best forces in the east.
In all, 140,000 combat-ready Russians are on its southern and eastern borders, with 40,000 on drills in Belarus to the north.
Saboteurs have also poured into Ukraine and could carry out assassinations and attack electricity and gas networks, sources fear.
Russian state TV started a propaganda push with wild claims that Ukrainian nationalists were about to massacre pro-Russians in the east — saying they’d “kill and butcher you all, and hang your children on wires”.
Similar tactics were used to fire up domestic support for the Russian annexation of Crimea and the land grab by pro-Russian forces in Donbas in 2014.
More manipulative TV coverage followed as Putin allowed cameras to film a bizarre exchange in which he pondered going to war.
In a stage-managed clip, Putin asked his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov if talks with the West would meet Russia’s demands or simply “drag on” forever.
Lavrov, seated at a long conference table, said he would not allow “endless negotiations on questions that demand a solution today”.
But he urged Putin to keep the door open insisting “there is always a chance”.
A British C17 transport plane yesterday flew in and out of Kyiv to evacuate military personnel. The US said it was moving its embassy 340 miles west from Kyiv to Lviv — and ordered the destruction of computers which could fall into Russian hands.
Oligarchs are flying out on private jets. And insurers are worried that they can no longer cover the risk of commercial flights.
German leader Olaf Scholz flew to Kyiv before his trip to meet Putin in Moscow today with a “last throw of the dice” peace plea.
But Putin has so far refused to budge on his demand that Ukraine is never allowed to join Nato.