Washington, Feb. 6, (dpa/GNA) – Senior US administration officials have warned of a heavy death toll should Russia decide on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
Senior officials told US lawmakers this week that a large-scale Russian invasion could kill as many as 50,000 civilians and prompt a refugee crisis in Europe, according to the report.
They warned of “enormous possible human costs” if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to go ahead with a full invasion, including the potential deaths of 25,000 to 50,000 civilians, 5,000 to 25,000 members of the Ukrainian military and 3,000 to 10,000 members of the Russian military.
Such an invasion, the officials were cited as saying, could also result in one to five million refugees, many of whom would pour into Poland.
But the officials also said it was not clear whether Putin had made a final decision to invade.
They said they believed the Russian military had assembled 70% of the forces it would need to mount a full invasion of Ukraine.
Satellite imagery, communications among Russian forces and images of Russian equipment on the move indicated that the Russian leader has already assembled everything he would need to undertake what the officials said would constitute the largest military operation on land in Europe since 1945.
US officials believe that Russia is unlikely to make a move until the second half of February.
By that point, more ground will have frozen, making it easier to move heavy vehicles and equipment, and the Winter Olympics in Beijing will have ended or be winding down, according to the report.
GNA