FIGHTING TALK
Ukrainians vow to fight Russia ‘to our last breath and bullet’ as general warns land will be ‘flooded with their blood’
PROUD Ukrainians vowed to fight an invasion with their "last breath and bullet" today - as a top general warned the land will be "flooded" with Russian blood.
Five thousand defiant compatriots marched through the centre of Kiev in a show of strength amid claims that war is just days away.
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Flag-waving protesters chanted: "Invaders must die".
March leader Illia Kononov - behind a banner proclaiming "Ukraine will resist" - said: "We don’t want war, but if it comes – we will fight back".
Meanwhile General Oleksandr Syrskyi's issued a chilling warning that his land will be "flooded" with Russian blood if there is an invasion.
It came as Ukraine's soldiers stepped up their preparations to resist the 130,000 Russian forces massed on the border.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, attending police drills, warned his people not to panic in the face of Putin bullying.
He said: "The best friend of our enemies is panic in our country. And all this information is just provoking panic and can't help us."
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Kiev remained calm yesterday as news reports continued to ramp up tension - despite fears Russian agents were now in place in the city preparing to join an offensive.
New intelligence now suggests Russia will invade Ukraine this Wednesday, February 16, according to
Information received by the Secret Service, CIA and other intelligence services has even gone as far to outline the routes that individual Russian units will take, along with the roles they will play, it reports.
And U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington believes Vladimir Putin could invade Ukraine any day with America promising a "resolute and massive response".
General Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces are carrying out drills in the south of the country, including testing new US and UK weapons and practising how to counter airborne assaults.
“The armed forces of Ukraine are ready,” the 56-year-old
“We are capable and we will not give up a single metre of Ukrainian land without a fight.
"We are ready, and we warn them 'it won't be a simple walk in the park. Each metre of that land will be flooded with the occupants' blood’
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"I trust in the Ukrainian servicemembers. I trust in our armed forces and I trust in our victory."
Meanwhile five thousand defiant Ukrainians marched through the centre of Kiev vowing to fight "to their last breath and bullet" if Russia invades yesterday.
March leader Illia Kononov - behind a banner proclaiming “Ukraine will resist” - said: ‘We don’t want war, but if it comes – we will fight back.
“We also want to thank all the countries such as the UK which have supported us morally and given us weapons.”
It was previously widely believed Russia would not attack before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20 but the latest intelligence reports have cast doubt on that.
Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin are set to hold crunch talks at 4pm UK time while top US General Mark Milley has spoken with his Russian counterpart, General Valery Gerasimo.
But ahead of the talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the United States of seeking to provoke a conflict in Ukraine, during a call with his US counterpart Antony Blinken.
The US Secretary of State, however, warned of a "resolute, massive and united trans-Atlantic" response to any Russian invasion.
TROOPS HEAD TO UKRAINE
The imminent threat follows weeks of growing tension as Vladimir Putin’s build-up of troops and tanks continue to threaten Ukraine.
Sullivan echoed President Biden's call for "all American citizens who remain in Ukraine to depart immediately".
"We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours.
"The risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands.
"If you stay you are assuming risk, with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and there is no prospect of a U.S. military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion."
Mr Sullivan said an attack would likely begin with aerial bombing and missile strikes, which would shut down transportation by air, rail, and roads.
His fears were echoed by MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, who also said war was "inevitable".
At the same time, Russia has been deploying military troops to the Ukraine border as Nato begins beefing up its own forces in the area.
Pentagon said it would send 3,000 combat troops from Fort Bragg, , to Poland to join 1,700 troops assembling there.
Last night, Brits were warned to leave Ukraine immediately as the imminent threat of war loomed.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The safety and security of British nationals is our top priority.
"We urge British nationals in Ukraine to leave now via commercial means while they remain available.”
Threats of a nuclear clash have now soared after it was revealed Russia moved its terrifying “atomic cannon” to within striking distance of a major city.
A battery of self-propelled guns capable of firing nuclear shells have been captured on video in the Russian town of Vesela Lopan, Bolgorod - just 10 miles from the Ukrainian border.
And civilians in Ukraine were attending open military training following reports that some 200,000 fully equipt Russian troops were on its borders.
The besieged country has increased exercises amid fears an invasion may come “at any time”.
INVASION FEARS
Satellite pics revealed six large Russian landing ships, primed to spearhead an amphibious attack, had moved to the Black Sea yesterday.
Earlier this week, Boris Johnson said the continent stands at the “most dangerous point” since World War Two after flying to Poland to meet with leaders.
In a gloomy assessment, Mr Johnson said: “We stand on the edge of a precipice and things are as dangerous as I have seen them in Europe for a very, very long time.
“The lesson of the last 100 years is that when Poland is threatened with instability, or aggression on the borders of Poland, then we are all threatened and we’re all affected.”
The Prime Minister stressed the chilling warning on a call with allies last night, including the US, Italy, France and Germany.
And the European Council, the European Commission and NATO chiefs were also listening in following the change of advice for Brits living in Ukraine.
In Poland, Mr Johnson, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Nato chiefs and the Polish PM, urged Putin to avoid a “pointless, tragic” conflict.
This came as Vladimir Putin was warned that nuclear war could erupt if Ukraine joins NATO and accused the West of “complete disregard for our concerns” as peace talks failed.
A thousand British troops are now on standby for an invasion on top of the 350 Royal Marines on their way to Poland for joint Arctic warfare drills.
The UK has also offered to send warships and RAF jets, on top of 900 troops in Estonia as part of a Nato deterrence mission.
But armed forces minister James Heappey said British troops helping with training in Ukraine forces to use anti-tank missiles will be leaving the country this weekend.
"All of them will be withdrawn. There will be no British troops in Ukraine if there is to be a conflict there," he told the BBC.
Russia has been warned it faces financial consequences if it does invade Ukraine.
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Foreign Office minister James Cleverly confirmed laws for crippling sanctions had been signed in readiness.
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