Peter Dutton says Ukraine-Russia war inevitable, warns women and children could die

Australia’s Defence minister has warned innocent women and children are likely to be victims of an “inevitable” Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has again ruled out sending Australian troops to Ukraine as he warns a war with Russia is inevitable.

Speaking following reports from US intelligence that President Vladimir Putin has made a strike order, Mr Dutton said an invasion would have a “knock-on effect” for the world.

“Troops continue to build up, the presence of the shifts in the Black Sea, the cyber attacks, the false flag activity, it is all pointing in one direction sadly,” he told the Today show.

“We just don't want to see women and children as the victims of another war, but it seems that is the path that Vladimir Putin is set on embarking.”

Peter Dutton was warned a war between Ukraine and Russia is inevitable. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Reports out of the US suggest about three-quarters of Russia’s total armed forces have been deployed to the Ukraine border.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CBS the US was convinced Russia was “moving forward” with invasion plans.

“Everything we’re seeing tells us that the decision we believe President Putin has made to invade is moving forward,” Mr Blinken said.

While Australia will not commit to military assistance, Mr Dutton said Australia lend support in other capacities.

“We are not sending troops to Ukraine. But there are ways in which we can provide assistance and there may be some cyber activities that we are able to support,” he said.

“It may be the case that we are able to send some support otherwise to Ukraine, but we will assess that as it unfolds.”

Foreign Minister Marise Payne meets with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Germany.

But asked what those capabilities would be, Scott Morrison remained coy.

“We are working very closely with our partners right across the region in Europe and more broadly (and) that involves the actions and sanctions we will take should Russia follow through on their threats of violence and intimidation on Ukraine,” the Prime Minister said.

“The threats against Ukraine are uninvited, unprovoked, unwarranted and unacceptable.”

Foreign Minister Marise Payne met with her Ukraine counterpart on the sidelines of a security conference in Germany.

Dmytro Kuleba said he was “grateful to Australia for standing by Ukraine at this tense time of the security crisis created by Russia”.

Ukraine envoy Volodymyr Shalkivskyi has urged partner countries to enforce pre-emptive sanctions on Russia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Ukraine’s head of mission in Australia said he would welcome any additional assistance but added the nation would like to see pre-emptive sanctions applied to Russia.

“We appreciate any kind of assistance that can boost our Defence capabilities (and) that can help our military,” charge d‘affaires Volodymyr Shalkivskyi told Sky News.

“We would, for sure, much appreciate possibility of having those sanctions apply as soon as possible.”

Overnight, Australia joined with the US and the UK to publicly attribute a cyber attack on the Ukrainian banking sector to the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate.

“Australia condemns Russian cyber attacks against Ukraine and has established a Bilateral Cyber Dialogue and further cyber security training,” Senator Payne said.