US and European intelligence findings in recent days have sparked worries that Russia may try to target a scheduled Ukrainian military exercise slated for Tuesday in eastern Ukraine to launch such a “false-flag operation,” according to two people familiar with the matter.
American intelligence officials believe targeting the military exercise is just one of multiple options that Russia has weighed as a possibility for a false-flag operation.
A US official updated the Biden administration’s estimate for how many Russian forces are now staged near Ukraine’s borders to over 130,000, up from the more than 100,000 the US has cited publicly in previous weeks.
A military cargo aircraft carrying US-made Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and ammunition from NATO member Lithuania landed Sunday, bolstering the country’s defences against any attack by air.
The Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces moving six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea (Agencies)