US Warns Full-Scale Invasion Of Ukraine Could Be ‘Hours’

US has issued a warning to the Ukrainian government that the latest intelligence points to Russia imminently launching a full-scale invasion. 

According to Ukrainian, US and western officials familiar with the matter.

The US intelligence assessment comes as international leaders warn of an impending onslaught

And claim that Russian forces are heading into eastern Ukraine’s pro-Moscow territory.

At a press conference in Australia on Tuesday evening eastern time, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said:

“Russia is at peak readiness to now complete a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”

Morrison, whose country is a member of the intelligence-sharing Five Eyes group, predicted it will happen “within the next 24 hours.”

Russian forces have marched into the separatist territory of Ukraine that Russia has now acknowledged as “autonomous.” 

According to the Prime Minister of Latvia, a NATO member, who told CNN on Wednesday morning.

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The Pentagon later confirmed on Wednesday that it believes Russian forces are moving into the area.

Despite the warnings, US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the Russian invasion had begun.

The government’s proclamation of a state of emergency was adopted by Ukraine’s parliament on Wednesday.

Which would go into effect at midnight on Wednesday across the country.

“According to the information I have, Putin is sending more troops and tanks into the occupied Donbas areas,”

Arturs Krijnis Kari, Latvia’s prime minister, told CNN’s Jim Sciutto.

“By any definition that’s a crossing of a sovereign territory into a neighboring country.”

When asked if he meant the entry of extra Russian forces since Moscow recognized the two breakaway territories earlier this week, he said yes.

“According to the facts at my disposal, this is exactly what we’re witnessing,” Kari said.

Additional Russian troops have crossed the border into the Donbas region, according to two other people familiar with US intelligence.

On Tuesday, Putin recognized the two territories and issued an order dispatching “peacekeepers” to the Donbas.

Russia has deployed one to two so-called battalion tactical groups, according to a senior US official knowledgeable with the newest intelligence.

Each of Russia’s primary fighting formations has an average of roughly 800 troops.

The deployment of extra Russian forces in the Donbas has not been independently verified by CNN.

The leaders of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic, both self-proclaimed.

Two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for assistance in resisting Ukrainian forces on Wednesday.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, told Russian official news outlet RIA-Novosti.

According to the Pentagon, “more Russian military forces are heading into” Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk areas.

During an on-camera briefing at the Pentagon, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said.

According to Kirby, the Pentagon is unable to corroborate figures on the number of Russian forces stationed in these two areas.

“what the formations are, what the capabilities are,” the Pentagon stated, but added that it believes Russian forces are on their way in.