The foreign affairs correspondent for PBS Newshour is reporting today that the US now believes that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and that the invasion could begin next week or in a couple of days.
And it will be bloody.
NEW: The US believes Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine, and has communicated that decision to the Russian military, three Western and defense officials tell me.
— Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) February 11, 2022
The US expects the invasion to begin next week, six US and Western officials tell me, as Secretary of State Antony @SecBlinken said last night.
— Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) February 11, 2022
US officials anticipate a horrific, bloody campaign that begins with two days or aerial bombardment and electronic warfare, followed by an invasion, with the possible goal of regime change.
— Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) February 11, 2022
Here’s more from Fox 8:
The White House said Friday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could come within the week, possibly within the next two days, and urged Americans to leave the country now.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. still did not know if Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a decision to invade, but that all the elements are now in place for a rapid incursion.
Britain’s defense secretary visited Moscow on Friday in another effort to ease tensions over a possible invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which held massive war games near its neighbor and insisted that the standoff with the West wasn’t “our fault.”
As they note, the Biden administration is telling all Americans to get out of Ukraine immediately:
Ukraine: Do not travel to Ukraine due to increased threats of Russian military action & COVID; those in Ukraine should depart now. If remaining, exercise caution due to crime, civil unrest, & potential combat operations should Russia take military action. https://t.co/X5zkrEIyZ4 pic.twitter.com/QoVHtB0bEd
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) February 10, 2022
The White House emphasizes that they’ve been telling people to get out of Ukraine for several weeks and suggests they won’t be able to help anyone once the invasion starts:
.@JacquiHeinrich: Is the State Department doing anything right now to help Americans to get out of Ukraine or just warning them to get out on their own?"
Psaki says they've "been warning for several weeks" although, for now, they're helping those get out w/o "means" to do so. pic.twitter.com/OFwzqCzo60
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 11, 2022
Given the ominous news, here’s a Joementia flashback that probably made Putin laugh his butt off:
BIDEN, 2019: Putin “doesn’t want me to be president.” pic.twitter.com/Db4D2Bgwmf https://t.co/OsM6DYY0CD
— Kyle Martinsen (@KyleMartinsen_) February 11, 2022