US warns Russia could invade Ukraine 'at any time'

WASHINGTON

Russia could invade Ukraine "at any time," the US said on Monday amid soaring tensions between the Kremlin and the West.

"We feel it's important to be open and candid about the threat from Russia. It's not just words of course. You're seeing specifics that we've been laying out here," White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters.

"Our effort is to ensure we're informing the American public and the global community of the seriousness of this threat, even as we work with the Ukrainians, with the Europeans to ensure we are not only preparing them and providing them supplies that they need, but standing up and making clear to the Russians what the consequences will be," she added.

The US and it European allies have been warning of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine for over a month as western estimates put the number of Russian troops positioned along the Ukraine border at over 100,000. In neighboring Belarus, the US's UN envoy warned earlier on Monday that Russia is seeking to ramp up its presence to 30,000 troops.

In both cases, Russia denies planning for an invasion, maintaining its troops are taking part in routine exercises.

The troop buildup comes eight years after Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and began its support for separatist rebels operating in eastern Ukraine.