They took the highly unusual step of putting out a tweet highlighting the possible invasion plan which Vladimir Putin could order.
It states: “INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Russia retains a significant military presence that can conduct an invasion without further warning.
“Below demonstrates President Putin’s possible axis of invasion. He still can choose to prevent conflict and preserve peace.”
The graphic shows how Russian forces could surge into Ukraine from Belarus in the north, Crimea in the south, or Russia in the east.
The image also highlights how Russian troops might launch a lightning strike to attempt to seize the Ukrainian capital Kiev within days.
The Ministry of Defence put out the message just hours after armed forces minister James Heappey warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is now “very, very imminent if not inevitable”.
Stressing an eleventh-hour diplomatic solution was still possible to end the crisis, he urged the Kremlin to pull back from an invasion which he stressed could spark a major war in Europe costing tens of thousands of lives.
In a separate tweet, the MoD rejected reports that Russian troops are being withdrawn from areas close to Ukraine.
“INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Russia has claimed that some units will be returning to bases following the conclusion of drills,” it said.
“We have seen no evidence that Russian forces are withdrawing from Ukrainian border regions. Russia could conduct an invasion without further warning.”
The rare social media messages are part of an information war over what is happening in Ukraine.
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The Defence Ministry in Moscow has put out footage of tanks reportedly being pulled back from areas near the Ukrainian border and has said some units are returning to barracks, with senior Russian diplomat Dmitry Polyanskiy dismissing reports of a looming Russian invasion as “fantasies” by the West.
