British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed that evidence shows that Russia is planning the biggest war in Europe since 1945.
In an interview with Western media, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that intelligence reports indicate that Russia intends to launch an attack that would encircle the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. “People need to understand the value and importance of human life,” he said.
According to US reports, an estimated 169,000 to 190,000 Russian troops are stationed on the Ukrainian border with neighboring Belarus, while the number of rebels is quite different.
Security Council convenes
The White House says President Joe Biden has convened a meeting of the National Security Council on Sunday in anticipation of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. White House spokeswoman Jane Psaki warned on Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time, and that President Joe Biden had called a national security meeting to discuss the issue.
Earlier on Saturday, February 19, Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Forces conducted a military exercise near the Ukrainian border, in which ballistic missiles were also launched. The United States has said in a statement that Russia’s military has been deployed near the Ukrainian border and is ready to launch an attack.
President Vladimir Putin has begun an experimental military exercise with Russian nuclear missiles after approval from the Kremlin. Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko was also present along with Putin.
A Moscow government spokesman confirmed the launch of the nuclear exercises, saying they were aimed at testing Russia’s readiness for strategic nuclear weapons.
The experiments come as Russia has been warned by Western nations to refrain from using force to change its borders.
Western nations have accused Russia of plotting to invade Ukraine. Russia has more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border, but Russia denies the allegations.
A State Department spokesman warned that there was “overwhelming evidence” that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine. The spokesman said Russia had claimed responsibility for the car bombing in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, but locals said the situation in the city was peaceful.
Ukraine has called on President Vladimir Putin to find a solution to the problem, given the violence between Russian-backed rebels in some parts of Ukraine and the growing threat of an attack by the Russian military.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky requested a meeting with his Russian counterpart after attending the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. “I do not know what the president of Russia wants, so I am proposing a meeting,” said President Vladimir Zelensky.
President Vladimir Zelensky said Russia could choose the venue for the talks. He clarified that Ukraine would only resort to diplomatic means for a peaceful resolution of the issue.