Anonymous official told CNN that Russia sent ‘operatives’ to eastern Ukraine
Russian operatives have been deployed to two breakaway regions in the east of Ukraine to create a false-flag operation as pretext for an invasion, several US news outlets have reported, citing an anonymous American official.
A “group of operatives” trained in urban warfare and use of explosives has been sent to “carry out acts of sabotage against Russia’s own proxy forces,” CNN claimed on Friday, quoting an anonymous US official. The quote concerns militias in the Donbass, which Washington insists are under Moscow’s direction. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the assertion.
No evidence was offered to support the warning, which echoes statements from Kiev.
The accusation apparently originated with the Defense Ministry in the Ukrainian capital, which said earlier in the day that Russian special services are preparing a provocation in an attempt to “frame” their country.
CNN also said US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan had “hinted” at this intelligence on Thursday at the White House press briefing.
“Our intelligence community has developed information, which has now been downgraded, that Russia is laying the groundwork to have the option of fabricating the pretext for an invasion,” Sullivan said. “We saw this playbook in 2014. They are preparing this playbook again and we will have, the administration will have, further details on what we see as this potential laying of the pretext to share with the press over the course of the next 24 hours.”
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