Dramatic hours in Ukraine : Russia "is preparing a large-scale invasion within the next 48 hours".
The Biden administration communicated this to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, citing intelligence information. According to the same sources, "reports from air observers indicate that Russia violated the airspace in the early hours of today, with reconnaissance flights for a short period of time over Ukraine".
A source close to the Ukrainian government, Newsweek writes, confirmed the warning, noting that it is the third time in a month that Kiev has been told to prepare for imminent large-scale Russian military action.
The news of the imminent attack seems to be confirmed by Bild which reports having discovered in the south of Russia about 300 Russian military vehicles of the Spetznaz special forces proceeding towards the border area of Marinowka. The tabloid calls them "the secret army" that will be used for the invasion of Ukraine: both the vehicles and the soldiers have no distinctive signs.
Witnesses quoted by the Reuters agency also report that two military convoys of unmarked vehicles, which also include 9 tanks, an assault armored vehicle, tankers and trucks are advancing on two different directives from the Russian border to Donetsk. The Russian vehicles without insignia are the same ones that took control of Crimea in 2014.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Parliament approved the introduction of a state of emergency.
THE SANCTIONS - Meanwhile, following the announcement by Joe Biden of an initial package of sanctions against Russia, progressive according to the level of aggression, the American president has already raised the bar by saying that he has imposed sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the executives of his company.
"Yesterday, after further consultations between our two governments, Germany announced that it will stop the certification of the pipeline. Today I ordered my administration to impose sanctions against Nord Stream 2 Ag and the executives of the company", reads a note from the House. White. "These steps are another piece of our initial round of sanctions in response to Russian actions in Ukraine", continues Biden, reiterating that he will not hesitate to "take further measures if Russia continues to escalate the tension". Putin with his work "has provided the world with an enormous incentive to move away from Russian gas and other forms of energy".
(Unioneonline / D)