Kamala Harris, the American vice-president, today accused President Vladimir Putin of engineering a false pretext for invading Ukraine and warned that the consequences for Russia would be “severe and swift”.
Her comments came amid heightened fear of “false flag” operations by pro-Russian separatists in the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, whose leaders announced a “mobilisation” of men of fighting age this morning and urged other civilians to leave for Russia. Many did not comply with the evacuation order, instead remaining at their homes.
Harris addressed the Munich Security Conference hours after President Biden said that he is now convinced that President Putin has chosen to invade Ukraine within the coming days and that Russian forces will launch an assault on the capital, Kyiv. » | Peter Conradi, Europe Editor | Oliver Wright | Larisa Brown | Louise Callaghan, Catherine Philp, Kyiv | Hugh Tomlinson, Washington | Saturday, February 19, 2022
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