According to American intelligence agencies, Kremlin leaders will launch an attack on Ukraine at 3 a.m. local time tomorrow.
They might launch a volley of air strikes on Kyiv’s military and government command and control centres before tanks cross the border.
Simultaneously, Russian amphibious warships might storm Ukraine’s southern coast. It comes as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned that a Russian invasion “would not stop in Ukraine.”
Despite last-ditch diplomatic measures and the possible withdrawal of some Moscow forces, Europe could be only hours away from all-out war in Ukraine.
The grim news comes just hours after Russia withdrew its military from Ukraine’s border.
According to senior sources, a Moscow invasion would “very definitely” come from numerous sites along Ukraine’s southern, eastern, and northern frontiers.
The senior American source for The Mirror warned our team in Kyiv with a short one-line message that read: “3am Wednesday.”
It comes as Britain has warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is highly likely, may be imminent, and would endanger Europe’s overall stability.
Russia has more than 126,000 troops stationed near Ukraine’s eastern border.
It also has 80,000 Moscow-aligned soldiers in Belarus to the north, as well as thousands of marines on board warships in the Black Sea, which pose a danger to Ukraine’s southern shore.
Russian political officials reject any plans for an invasion, but say they may take unspecified “military-technical” action unless a number of objectives are met, including blocking Kyiv from ever joining the NATO alliance.
Despite America’s warning, it is still considered that there is a chance of averting conflict – but this is rapidly disappearing.
In a phone discussion on Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden agreed that there was a critical opportunity for diplomacy.
However, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned that an invasion was possible and that Russian troops could be in Kyiv “very, very rapidly.”
“This is about the whole stability of Europe,” she explained.
“And it’s about wider global stability, and the message that we give to aggressors and we have to give the message to Vladimir Putin that there can be no reward for aggression.”
Truss echoed leaders in the United States who have warned that Moscow could employ a “false flag” operation to spark a conflict.
“It’s still possible that an invasion is near, and it’s quite plausible,” she stated.
It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky named Wednesday a national unity day.
He ordered the playing of the national anthem and the display of flags and flag ribbons around the country in a decree signed on Monday.
At the same time as some Russian forces were returning to their posts, mine dispersing trucks capable of laying minefields the size of several football fields were deployed.
It is also suspected that they have advanced to destructive thermobaric flamethrowers capable of launching a fireball several kilometres long at the opponent.
It’s known as “sunburn.”
Mr. Putin and his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, have decided to resume negotiations, raising hopes that averting war is still possible.
As more than 100,000 Russian troops gathered near the border, the West accused Russia of increasing its military buildup.
According to a Downing Street insider, there is “some hope” that diplomacy will succeed and Russia will back down.
Russia withdrew part of its forces from Ukraine’s border, which was interpreted as an attempt to defuse tensions.
According to Russia’s defence ministry, some Kremlin troops in military districts next to their eastern European neighbours are returning to bases after completing drills.
“Units of the Southern and Western military districts that have completed their operations have already begun boarding rail and automobile transport and will begin transferring to their garrisons today,” said Russia Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov.
“As part of military convoys, separate units will march on foot.”
