Early stages of Russia’s Ukraine invasion ‘unfolding’ now

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the early stages of a Russian invasion of Ukraine are “unfolding right now, today”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned members of the United Nations Security Council that the early stages of a Russian invasion of Ukraine were “unfolding” after Moscow bolstered its forces along the border between the two nations in recent days.

Mr Blinken, who swung by Turtle Bay on his way to Germany for this weekend’s Munich Security Conference, described the crisis as “the most immediate threat to peace and security” and called on the global body to “address” the situation, the NY Post reports.

“The stakes go far beyond Ukraine,” the Secretary of State said in remarks lasting roughly 10 minutes.

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Antony Blinken speaks at a UN Security Council meeting on February 17, 2022. Picture: Timothy A. Clary/AFP

“This is a moment of peril for the lives and safety of millions of people as well as for the foundation of the United Nations charter and the rules-based international order that preserves stability worldwide.”

Mr Blinken pointed to new intelligence showing that Russia is sending more ground troops, aircraft and ships to the region as it prepares to “launch an attack”.

“In fact, it’s unfolding right now, today, as Russia takes steps down the path to war and reissued the threat of military action,” he said.

“I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one. The information I presented here is validated by what we’ve seen unfolding in plain sight before our eyes for months.”

An Ukrainian soldier stands guard after the reported shelling of a kindergarten. Picture: Aris Messinis/AFP

While Russia has dismissed the West’s warnings of invasion as “‘melodrama and nonsense,’ they’ve been steadily amassing more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders as well as the capabilities to conduct a massive military assault. It isn’t just us saying this. Allies and partners see the same thing,” said America’s top diplomat before imploring the Kremlin to take concrete steps to end the standoff.

“The Russian government can announce today, with no equivocation or deflection, that Russia will not invade Ukraine,” Mr Blinken said.

“State it clearly, state it plainly to the world. And then demonstrate it by sending your troops, your tanks, your planes, back to their barracks and sending your diplomats to the negotiating table.”

Russia has amassed its forces on Ukraine’s borders.

Russia has repeatedly denied it intends to invade Ukraine and has accused the US and its allies of amping up drama over routine troop movements and military exercises.

Mr Blinken said Thursday that he expected his UN remarks would be similarly received.

If an invasion doesn’t occur, “then we will be relieved that Russia changed course and proved our predictions wrong,” he said. “That would be a far better outcome than the course we’re currently on.”

Mr Blinken closed by encouraging a diplomatic resolution to the crisis and revealed that he had sent a letter to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, proposing that they meet next week in Europe.

Joe Biden speaks with journalists prior to departing the White House. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP

The secretary’s comments echoed President Joe Biden’s remarks to reporters earlier Thursday in which he described the threat of a Russian invasion as “very high.”

“They [Russia] have not moved any of their troops out, they’ve moved more troops in, number one,” Mr Biden said as he left the White House to travel to an event in Ohio.

“Number two, we have reason to believe that they are engaged in a false flag operation to have an excuse to go in. Every indication we have is that they are prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine.”

While the Kremlin has claimed it is drawing down its forces, the US and its allies say Russia has actually bolstered the military presence and added 7000 troops along the border in the last few days.

Rocket launchers firing during joint exercises of Russia and Belarus. Picture: Russian Defence Ministry/AFP

The heightened concerns over an invasion comes as Ukraine blamed Russian-backed rebels for shelling a village and damaging a kindergarten in eastern Ukraine near the border.

Kiev and separatist forces accused each other of violating the 2015 Minsk Agreement by firing shells into each other’s territory in the Donbas region.

The Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation asserted that the rebels attacked the village of Stanytsia Luhanska, with at least two shells damaging a kindergarten building and causing two people to be treated for shock.

Also Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry delivered its response to proposals by the US and NATO to resolve the Ukraine crisis and guarantee broader security in Europe.

The message from Moscow insisted that NATO rule out ever admitting Ukraine and Georgia as members and roll back its military presence in Central and Eastern Europe to 1997 levels.

This article originally appeared on NY Post and was reproduced with permission