WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Friday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could come within the week, possibly within the next two days, even before the end of the Winter Olympics, and urged Americans to leave the country now. The message marked a sharp escalation in U.S. warnings about possibly impending military action.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States did not have definitive information that an invasion has U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States did not have definitive information that an invasion has been ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. But, he said all the pieces were in place for a major military operation that could start “rapidly” and possibly before the end of the Games on Jan. 20. Many had believed that Putin would not start any incursion into Ukraine until after the Chinese-hosted Olympics ended.
“We can’t pinpoint the day at this point, and we can’t pinpoint the hour, but that is a very, very distinct possibility,” Sullivan said. “The strong possibility of action, the distinct possibility of action, in a relatively near term time frame … is backed up by our view of what’s happening on the ground.”
