Well this escalated all of a sudden. Breaking news tonight...
Russia has the troops in place to invade Ukraine "at any time" and American citizens should leave within the next 48 hours, the US has warned.
An invasion could start with aerial bombing that would make departures difficult and endanger civilians, the White House said on Friday.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Russian forces were now "in a position to be able to mount a major military action" in remarks seen as a clear escalation in the urgency of warnings from US officials.
"We obviously cannot predict the future, we don't know exactly what is going to happen, but the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that [leaving] is prudent," he said.
Mr Sullivan added that the administration did not know if Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision to invade, but said that the Kremlin was looking for a pretext to justify military action, which he said could start with intense aerial bombardment.
On Friday evening, the UK Foreign Office issued updated travel guidance to advise UK citizens "against all travel to Ukraine".
"British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available," the updated advice added.
A host of other countries have also urged their nationals to leave Ukraine.
Is war imminent? And who's looking for beef in all this? The Ruskies or the Yanks?
Russia has the troops in place to invade Ukraine "at any time" and American citizens should leave within the next 48 hours, the US has warned.
An invasion could start with aerial bombing that would make departures difficult and endanger civilians, the White House said on Friday.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Russian forces were now "in a position to be able to mount a major military action" in remarks seen as a clear escalation in the urgency of warnings from US officials.
"We obviously cannot predict the future, we don't know exactly what is going to happen, but the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that [leaving] is prudent," he said.
Mr Sullivan added that the administration did not know if Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision to invade, but said that the Kremlin was looking for a pretext to justify military action, which he said could start with intense aerial bombardment.
On Friday evening, the UK Foreign Office issued updated travel guidance to advise UK citizens "against all travel to Ukraine".
"British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available," the updated advice added.
A host of other countries have also urged their nationals to leave Ukraine.
Is war imminent? And who's looking for beef in all this? The Ruskies or the Yanks?
" ( sensible reasons)
