PM Boris Johnson will today directly warn the Russian people their sons’ coffins will pile high if Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine.
His speech will be translated into Russian and widely circulated online to head off Putin’s propaganda.
And last night US officials said they expect a Russian attack on Ukraine in the next few days involving fighter jets, tanks, missiles, seaborne assaults and cyber warfare.
While keeping last minute diplomatic efforts alive, according to the Wall Street Journal, they fear Putin had all but decided an invasion was 95 per cent on — and was ruthlessly poised to exploit Western divisions.
The Prime Minister will use his stark speech to the Munich Security Conference to tell Russian mothers their leader’s aggression toward Kyiv will lead to an “unnecessary and horrific war”.
After more crisis talks with US President Joe Biden, Mr Johnson insisted “diplomacy can still prevail”.
Mr Biden said on Thursday that an invasion could happen within “several days”.
Boris will fly to Germany today to urge European countries to increase efforts to stare down the threat.
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He will say Putin — who yesterday met with Belarus dictator ally Alexander Lukashenko — can only be stopped with “an overwhelming display of solidarity”.
And in a coded dig at hosts Germany — who have been noticeably softer on Russia in recent weeks and hugely reliant on Russian gas — the PM will say: “Allies need to speak with one voice to stress to President Putin the high price he will pay.”
But he will insist: “There is still a chance to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.”
HOAR can reveal that No10 will greatly escalate efforts to speak directly to the Russian people and counter Putin’s propaganda.
Yesterday, Security Minister Damian Hinds told Times Radio that Western powers needed to be prepared for Kremlin “disinformation”.
