Thread by @jseldin

BREAKING: #Russia's +150,000 troops encircling #Ukraine "as ready as they can be" per senior US defense official

80% of Russian forces "in forward position ready to go" w/some within 5km of Ukraine border

"They are literally ready to go now if they get the order to go" per sr US defense official

re #Russia|n forces surrounding #Ukraine

#Russia's #Putin-"He is near 100% of all the forces we anticipated he would [move] in...He is dang near it" per senior US defense official

re: #Ukraine

#Russia has more than 10 landing ships in the #BlackSea - "those ships exist for 1 reason-that's to put boots on the ground" per senior US defense official

#Russia's #Putin: "It is our assessment that he is fully prepared to conduct a large-scale invasion & that is a likely option" per senior US defense official

"If ever we want to be wrong, we want to be wrong about this" official adds

re #Ukraine

"We'll continue to look for ways to provide lethal & non-lethal assistance" to #Ukraine, per senior US defense official

#Russia's forces surrounding #Ukraine - "They have uncoiled. They are ready to go" per senior US defense official

Current #cyber attacks vs #Ukraine "obviously very much in keeping w/their [#Russia's] playbook" but no attribution just yet, per senior US defense official

The #Russia|ns - "They have increased their operations inside eastern #Ukraine" per senior US defense official

"They could go at any hour now" per senior US defense official on when #Russia may launch full scale invasion

"We believe he [Russian Pres Vladimir Putin] has made his decision to go"

80% of total #Russia|n conventional forces "uncoiled" and ready to invade #Ukraine, per senior US defense official

How far is #Russia's President Putin prepared to go into #Ukraine?

Russian forces prepared for "a major invasion of #Ukraine" per senior US defense official, who says only Putin can share what his political objectives would be

"We do have indication that they [#Russia] plan to use reserves...and that's concerning" per senior US defense official

"The implication would be that they have long-term goals here" in #Ukraine

"This is not the same Ukrainian armed forces that Mr. Putin met in 2014...They are more competent & more capable" per senior US defense official, citing money, equipment & training from US, other countries

#Russia-#Ukraine

Clarification: 80% of the #Russia|n forces assigned and arrayed against #Ukraine are ready for battle, per senior US defense official