Russia is estimated to have a massive force of 1,800 tanks, 3,950 armored vehicles, 810 multiple-rocket-launch systems, and 400 fighter jets ready for a major offensive in Crimea to the east of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukraine is reported to stand ready to utilise British long-range missiles in order to attack Russian-seized Crimea.
Defence sources said Kyiv is prepared to use the missiles to strike Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia nine years ago.
Talks are understood to be ongoing about how many long-range missiles the UK could potentially supply to thwart the threat.
According to Foreign Policy, an unnamed Ukrainian defence official has estimated that Russia has 300 helicopters and 2,700 artillery systems prepared.
The official stated that Kyiv is expecting a large-scale invasion to occur within the coming weeks.
They said: “We expect in the next 10 days a new, huge invasion.”
Ukraine has been getting ready for a potential Russian offensive in the Donbas.
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The Russian military has deployed a sizable number of soldiers in Ukraine’s east with the intention of breaking the nation’s defences using force-of-arm and assaults by human waves.
Military analysts predict that as the anniversary of the invasion, on February 24, approaches, the Russian offensive will pick up steam.
The fact that more and more Russian soldiers are showing up at the front, according to Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary-General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is mounting proof that something major is likely to occur in the east. Following a mobilisation drive that began in September, the Ukrainian authorities believe that there are now more than 300,000 Russian military within Ukraine.
While Russia prepares tens of thousands of tanks and armoured vehicles for a renewed offensive, Ukraine stands ready to deploy British long-range missiles to attack the Crimean peninsula that it has annexed.
President Zelensky has been pleading with the West to provide jets and longer-range missiles, stating that the absence of these weapons could cause the war to stagnate.
In response to his appeal, Rishi Sunak acknowledged that “nothing is off the table” in terms of the UK’s provision of military assistance to aid in the resistance to the Russian invasion.
Additionally, it is believed that negotiations regarding the potential supply of Harpoon anti-ship missiles, which have a range of 150 miles and cost about £1.2 million, have taken place.
The Times reports that £2.2 million Storm Shadow surface-to-air cruise missiles, with a range of roughly 250 miles, are also rumoured to be on the table.
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