Prepare for Russian invasion of Ukraine, U.S. warns European allies

The United States has warned European allies that Russia could be plotting to invade Ukraine in a repeat of the 2014 annexation of Crimea.

US officials have privately briefed their EU counterparts on a possible military operation as tens of thousands of Russian troops amass near the border. 

Senior Whitehall sources told The Telegraph that the Government was concerned about the reports and that there was “twitchiness” and “anxiety” among officials.

It came amid heightened tensions, with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, accused of orchestrating a migration crisis on the border between Belarus and Poland to destabilise Europe.

On Thursday, the Kremlin claimed it had scrambled a fighter jet to intercept a British spy plane operating in the Black Sea region.

Russian forces, including elite units, are gathering near the Ukraine border, with some deployed covertly at night. The invasion assessments are believed to be based on US intelligence not yet shared with Europe, multiple sources told Bloomberg.