Biden: Ukraine invasion still ‘distinctly possible’ despite Russian claims |

Joe Biden has claimed that 150,000 Russian troops remain in a “threatening position” around Ukraine, despite Russian claims of a withdrawal, and warned that an invasion “remains distinctly possible”.

In a televised address from the White House on Tuesday afternoon, Biden combined a repeated offer of security talks with a warning of severe repercussions if Russia carries out an attack that US intelligence has reportedly assessed could take place as early as Wednesday.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy earlier had said Wednesday would be a “day of unity” for the country, urging people to fly flags and sing the national anthem at 10am.

Biden said he would “rally the world” to oppose Russian military action but made clear that the response would be primarily economic, saying: “I will not send American servicemen to fight in Ukraine.”

But he made clear that any attack on Nato territory or harm to Americans would be treated differently.

“We’re not seeking direct confrontation with Russia, though I’ve been clear that if Russia targets Americans and Ukraine, we will respond forcefully,” Biden said. “If Russia attacks the United States or our allies through asymmetric means, like disruptive cyber-attacks against our companies or critical infrastructure, we’re prepared to respond.”

Earlier in the day, the websites run by the Ukrainian defence ministry, the armed forces and the country’s largest commercial bank, PrivatBank, were closed down after a cyber-attack. The Washington Post cited intelligence sources as saying the attack was probably the work of Russian government hackers, but the White House said it could not comment on attribution.

Pavlo Kukhta, a Ukrainian economist and adviser to the energy minister, said the hackers were possibly preparing to target the country’s “vulnerable” power grid. “The goal is quite simple: to sow panic, show what they are capable of, test the systems and see if they are vulnerable,” the New York Times quoted him as saying.

Ukraine’s communications watchdog said, in reference to Russia: “It cannot be excluded that the aggressor is resorting to dirty tricks.”

Some of the bank’s customers reported some services came back online later on Tuesday.

Biden was speaking hours after Vladimir Putin had claimed that a “partial” drawdown of Russian forces from the Ukrainian border.

Asked for the reason for the drawdown on Tuesday, Putin was not forthcoming. “It’s a partial withdrawal of troops from the areas of our exercises,” he said in response to a question during a press conference with the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz. “What is there to comment on?”

In his televised address, Biden made clear the US was unconvinced by the Kremlin’s claims of a withdrawal.

“We have not yet verified that Russian military units are returning to their home bases. Indeed our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position,” the president said. “The fact remains right now Russia has more than 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine and Belarus and along Ukraine’s border. An invasion remains distinctly possible.”

Russia has always denied planning to…