US claims Russia planning ‘false-flag’ operation to justify Ukraine invasion

• Officials: Moscow has already positioned saboteurs in Ukraine
• Allegation arrives on day Ukraine hit by ‘massive’ cyber-attack

The US has alleged Russia has already positioned saboteurs in Ukraine to carry out a false flag operation to use as a pretext for a Russian attack which Washington says could begin in the coming month.

The allegations, following similar claims by the government in Kyiv, come after the failure of a week of diplomacy to defuse the crisis provoked by Russia’s massing of over 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders. Moscow has persistently portrayed the crisis as a military threat from Ukraine against Russia, without providing any evidence.