Russian invasion ‘storm’ gathering on Ukraine border, Western officers say

A Russian service member walks previous T-72B3 important battle tanks throughout drills held by the armed forces of the Southern Navy District on the Kadamovsky vary within the Rostov area, Russia February 3, 2022. REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov/File Photograph

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) – Western issues that Russia will invade Ukraine have solely grown in current days as Russian navy items at the moment are “poised” to make a large-scale invasion and the outlook seems to be grim, three senior Western officers stated on Monday.

Russia ordered the navy build-up whereas demanding NATO stop Ukraine from ever becoming a member of the navy alliance however says Western warnings that it’s planning to invade Ukraine are hysterical and harmful.

Three Western officers, who spoke on situation of anonymity, stated Russian navy items massed round Ukraine’s border have been now “poised” for an invasion whereas beforehand they have been postured for an invasion.

They stated they didn’t know whether or not or not Russian President Vladimir Putin had but ordered an invasion, however raised issues about a rise in false provocations in Russian-backed insurgent areas in Ukraine.

“Our concern about what we’re seeing on the bottom has solely risen,” stated one of many Western officers, who spoke on situation of anonymity. “Our total image, I’ve to say,is a really darkish one with storm clouds gathering on Ukraine’s borders.”

The officers stated they have been watching Putin’s safety council assembly on Monday and a gathering of the Russian decrease and higher homes of parliament.

A second official stated Russian forces continued to construct up, together with S-400s, plane and armoured automobiles being deployed into ahead areas. Russia now has 110 battalion tactical teams within the space of operations, the official stated.

Two thirds of these battalion tactical teams are inside 50 km of the Ukrainian border. Of these teams, about half at the moment are tactically deployed.

“It is a transfer from being postured for navy operations to being poised for navy operations,” the official stated.

Reporting by Man Faulconbridge, Enhancing by Paul Sandle and Kate Holton

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