Ukraine’s security forces have no reason to believe that Russia is planning to launch a full-scale invasion this week, despite claims from Western media outlets that an offensive will begin on Wednesday, a senior official in Kiev said.
On Monday, Aleksey Danilov expressed confidence that “the situation is absolutely under control.” Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, has repeatedly played down the threat of war in recent weeks, despite claims from Western politicians that conflict is imminent.
“As of today, we do not see that a large-scale attack by the Russian Federation can take place either on the 16th or the 17th. We do not see that,” he said following a private meeting with MPs.
His comments follow reports in Western media outlets, citing American intelligence reports, that Russia is planning to launch an invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday. While these reports have not been publicly verified by Washington, the White House has continued to insist that an attack could begin any day.