Kyiv could fall in days with a huge civilian toll, U.S. assessments find

[jimnyc]

I wish they would just make up their damn minds already, go in and do what they think they gotta do & deal with repercussions - or back the F off.

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Kyiv could fall in days with a huge civilian toll, U.S. assessments find

Russia is close to completing preparations for what appears to be a large-scale invasion of Ukraine that could leave up to 50,000 civilians killed or wounded, decapitate the government in Kyiv within two days, and launch a humanitarian crisis with up to 5 million refugees fleeing the resulting chaos, according to updated U.S. military and intelligence assessments briefed to lawmakers and European partners over the past several days.

The rising concerns come as the Russian military continues to dispatch combat units to the Ukrainian border in both its own territory and Belarus. As of Friday, seven people familiar with the assessments said, there were 83 Russian battalion tactical groups, with about 750 troops each, arrayed for a possible assault. That is up from 60 two weeks ago, and comprises about 70% of what Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to have in place if he wants to maximize the operation.

Those more than 62,000 troops are backed by tens of thousands of additional personnel to provide logistics, air power and medical support. U.S. officials have said the Russian presence along Ukraine's borders totals more than 100,000; one Western security official put the number at 130,000.

Rest - https://www.chron.com/news/article/U-S-warns-China-risks-embarrassment-if-it-backs-16833944.php

[Gunny]

I wish they would just make up their damn minds already, go in and do what they think they gotta do & deal with repercussions - or back the F off.

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Kyiv could fall in days with a huge civilian toll, U.S. assessments find

Russia is close to completing preparations for what appears to be a large-scale invasion of Ukraine that could leave up to 50,000 civilians killed or wounded, decapitate the government in Kyiv within two days, and launch a humanitarian crisis with up to 5 million refugees fleeing the resulting chaos, according to updated U.S. military and intelligence assessments briefed to lawmakers and European partners over the past several days.

The rising concerns come as the Russian military continues to dispatch combat units to the Ukrainian border in both its own territory and Belarus. As of Friday, seven people familiar with the assessments said, there were 83 Russian battalion tactical groups, with about 750 troops each, arrayed for a possible assault. That is up from 60 two weeks ago, and comprises about 70% of what Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to have in place if he wants to maximize the operation.

Those more than 62,000 troops are backed by tens of thousands of additional personnel to provide logistics, air power and medical support. U.S. officials have said the Russian presence along Ukraine's borders totals more than 100,000; one Western security official put the number at 130,000.

Rest - https://www.chron.com/news/article/U-S-warns-China-risks-embarrassment-if-it-backs-16833944.php

Problem starts from the "Start". Who to believe? Russia has actually done nothing. The UK with Biden following right along (how backward is THAT?) are the ones chickenhawking war.

Since the idea of a preemptive strike is a mortal sin to Western minds pretending they're above it all, and actually in this case not prudent at all, it's sit and watch. Putin's move. Was I him, I would consider the satisfaction of having the entire West dancing on a string I was holding the end of more fun than actually having a war.

Who wants to bet against: If Putin moves in Ukraine prompting NATO to commit to Ukraine, China moves on Taiwan?