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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Ryan Merrifield

Britain 'certain' Putin about to invade Ukraine and conflict will be 'horrendous'

Vladimir Putin is definitely about to invade Ukraine and the conflict will be "horrendous", according to Whitehall.

British Parliament is now certain the Russian President will green light troops to cross the border, as the Ministry of Defence revealed Moscow's battle plan.

Senior figures within the UK Government reportedly didn't believe the Kremlin would launch an attack earlier this week, as warned by US intelligence.

But things have dramatically changed in a matter of hours, it is claimed.

It comes as Putin's Government continues to insist his troops - believed to number up to 150,000 - are retreating back to base.

Vladimir Putin is seen in his office in the Kremlin during a video conference meeting (Alexei Nikolsky/TASS)

But the MoD released a report last night laying out the former KGB strong man's battle plan after the White House warned of a false flag chemical weapons attack.

US President Joe Biden withdrew all troops from central and Eastern Europe.

Referring to Putin, a Whitehall source told the Times: "He's going to do it, and it's going to be horrendous."

A troop train carrying military hardware of Russian Army Western Military District tank army units from recent routine drills (Russian Defence Ministry/TASS)

The MoD report says the mass of troops on Ukraine's northern border "directly threatens Kyiv", laying multiple routes Kremlin soldiers could take to conquer much of the country's eastern side.

The paper also said such an invasion would lead to "considerable" civilian casualties and it believes Putin is willing to make the sacrifice.

It also reiterated there is "no evidence" to support Moscow claims troops are being pulled from the border.

People hold signs and flags as they participate in a 'Stand with Ukraine' rally outside the United Nations headquarters, in New York City (REUTERS)

On the contrary, Russia has moved an extra 7,000 soldiers to the front.

A British Government spokesman told the Mail Online : "All the information we have suggests Russia could be planning an invasion of Ukraine at any moment without further warning.

"However, there is still opportunity for de-escalation, and for President Putin to step back and avoid a bloody and unnecessary war."

The MoD's decision to publish a video revealing Putin's attack strategy, including its "axis of advance", is part of Britain's "information war" to undermine Moscow and avert war completely.

Meanwhile, Putin will reportedly oversee exercises by Russia's nuclear forces involving the launch of ballistic and cruise missiles tomorrow.

The exercises, set to take place on Saturday, have been confirmed by the country's defence ministry, according to the Interfax news agency.

A kindergarten, which according to Ukraine's military officials was damaged by shelling (REUTERS)

For a second consecutive day, pro-Russian separatists, who have been at war with Ukraine for years, said they had come under mortar and artillery fire from Ukrainian forces.

Kyiv and the rebels blamed each other for escalating tension after artillery and mortar attacks on Thursday.

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