The interlocutors of the publication said that the United States informed its NATO allies about its concerns, providing “a lot of detailed classified information.”
So, according to Spiegel, American intelligence described the routes of a possible invasion, individual Russian units and their tasks. A source in Berlin said the data provided by the United States “was very detailed and backed up by many sources.”
At the same time, it is not clear from the intelligence data whether the final decision on the invasion has been made. Der Spiegel, referring to the opinion of insiders, clarifies that the publication of such information may be a deliberate policy of the White House aimed at disrupting Russian plans. This was reported on February 11 by the American TV channel CNN.
Spring 2021 Russia began to increase the number of troops near the border with Ukraine and in the occupied Crimea, explaining this by military exercises. After several weeks of tension, the Russian Federation partially withdrew units to their places of permanent deployment.
At the end of October, American media reported that Russia was once again draws troops to the border with Ukraine. Later, the leaders of Western countries repeatedly announced the threat of a new invasion from the Russian Federation.
Thus, the White House announced on January 18, 2022 that Russia can at any time start an invasion of Ukraine. On February 11, according to The Guardian, Biden during a video conference with leaders of several states said that Russia may attack Ukraine in the coming days.
At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities believe that Western countries exaggerate the danger.
“Today, we do not see a greater escalation than it was before. Yes, the number of military men has increased, but I spoke about this at the beginning of 2021, when they talked about the military exercises of the Russian Federation. Then there was a large increase [войск РФ], then we were supported by the United States and European friends. They urged Russia to withdraw troops. Now I don’t consider the situation any more tense than it was at the peak of the Russian exercises,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference on January 28.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said at the end of January that despite a significant buildup of Russian troops, not a single strike group createdneeded to go on the offensive. On February 8, he said that along the entire border with Ukraine from the Russian Federation, Belarus and the temporarily occupied territories there are 140 thousand militaryincluding air and sea component.
February 11, a number of countries including USAcalled on their citizens to urgently leave Ukraine due to a likely escalation.
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