The United States believes that Russia could attack Ukraine by the end of this week.

According to media reports, some Russian units are beginning to advance to “combat positions” / photo REUTERS

Russia has deployed several long-range artillery and rocket launchers to a firing position near the border with Ukraine.

This is reported by the American television company  CBC News , citing its sources in the US government.

According to the official, some Russian units have left their areas of concentration and are beginning to advance to “combat positions.” 

As a US official notes in a comment to reporters, the move marks a change since Sunday, when some Russian units left the muster areas but had not yet taken up what could be seen as attack positions.

The United States believes that Russia will attack Ukraine by the end of the week, although it is not yet clear what form this will take, the official said.

Russian officials say Russia now has 80% of the forces it needs to launch a full-scale invasion, with the rest on the way. More than 100,000 Russian troops are concentrated along the borders of Ukraine – in the east, in Russia, and in the north, in Belarus.   

Recall, also according to media reports, mercenaries from Russian PMCs may be preparing a pretext for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to journalists, the intelligence of NATO member countries recorded in Ukraine an increase in the number of Russian militants subordinate to Russian special services.

(C)UNIAN 2022