The UK and US have accused Russia of boosting its forces on the Ukrainian border by as many as 7,000 troops - despite claims it was withdrawing some soldiers.
A US senior administration official last night blasted Russia's claim it was withdrawing troops from the border with Ukraine. "They received a lot of attention for that claim, both here and around the world. But we now know it was false," the official said.
The anonymous official said "Russia has increased its troop presence along the Ukrainian border by as many as 7,000 troops," with many of them arriving as recently as Wednesday.
No details or evidence were given of how the US knew this to be the case. But the 7,000 figure was today backed by UK Armed Forces minister James Heappey.
He said Britain has not "necessarily" been able to "verify" the 7,000 figure, but warned imagery overnight showed a new bridge and a large field hospital and he was "very worried".
“Troop movements towards the border continue”, Mr Heappey told the BBC. "For all the talk about de-escalation in Moscow, I’m afraid what we’re seeing in the opposite and we’re very worried about it."
He added: “All of the conditions are set, and from the moment President Putin takes a decision, it is literally just a matter of minutes before military effect could be felt in Ukrainian cities.
“That’s different however to inevitability. I have a gut feeling because I’m seeing what I’m seeing, and I don’t think you spend that amount of money in putting that number of troops and planes and ships into an area unless you mean it.
"But I have hope that a diplomatic process can succeed, because the consequences of that not being the case are that tens of thousands of people could die.”
The UK's Lieutenant General Sir Jim Hockenhull, the Chief of Defence Intelligence, added: "Contrary to their claims, Russia continues to build up military capabilities near Ukraine.
"This includes sightings of additional armoured vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving towards Ukraine's borders. Russia has the military mass in place to conduct an invasion of Ukraine."
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned Moscow could drag out the crisis for months in an attempt to undermine Western unity.
Moscow denies it has any plans to invade, and Russia's defence ministry said yesterday its forces were pulling back after exercises near Ukraine. It published video that it said showed forces leaving the Crimean peninsula.
But Ms Truss said it was essential the UK and its allies not be "lulled into a false sense of security", adding: "In fact the Russian military build-up shows no signs of slowing.
"We must have no illusions that Russia could drag this out much longer in a brazen ploy to spend weeks more - if not months - subverting Ukraine and challenging Western unity. This is a test of our mettle."
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview on MSNBC on Wednesday that "critical units" were moving towards the border.
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said the United States estimated that 150,000 Russian troops had encircled Ukraine, an increase from previous estimates of about 100,000.
Russia had said that its forces - part of a huge buildup that has been accompanied by demands to the West for sweeping security guarantees - were pulling back after taking part in exercises in southern and western military districts near Ukraine.
But NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said moving troops and tanks back and forth did not amount to proof of a pullout.
Liz Truss will reaffirm support for Ukrainian sovereignty on a trip to Kyiv this week as part of efforts to deter a possible Russian invasion, urging Moscow to end its military buildup along the border.
Truss will hold talks with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and will then deliver a speech in Kyiv where she will warn Russia it faces economic pain and global isolation if it invades its former Soviet neighbour.
In a speech in Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary will say the "path of diplomacy" remains open if Moscow really does want a peaceful resolute to the crisis .
"We are ready to talk. But we are very clear - if they decide to continue down the path of aggression, there will be massive consequences bringing Russia severe economic costs and pariah status," she will say.
Following her visits to Ukraine and Poland, Ms Truss will travel on to attend the Munich Security Conference with other Nato foreign and defence ministers.
Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy again dismissed the claims as "fantasies" by Western politicians.
"This is a very ridiculous situation, there has been hysteria, even hype, fanned for several weeks by our Western colleagues," he told ITV's Peston programme.
"They convinced each other and the whole world that Russia was about to invade, they were even naming concrete dates. So it happened in their minds, in their heads."
Britain has already said it is doubling the number of troops in Estonia, with around 850 members of The Royal Welsh battlegroup heading from Sennelager in Germany and bases in Europe for the Baltic state, while 350 Royal Marine commandos are being despatched to Poland.
Four additional RAF Typhoon jets are heading to Cyprus to join Nato patrols over eastern Europe while offshore patrol vessel HMS Trent will shortly be joined in the eastern Mediterranean by HMS Diamond, a Type 45 destroyer.
Meanwhile, so-called "golden visas" for wealthy foreign investors are expected to be scrapped by the Government amid concerns over links between Russia and the UK.
Those eligible for the tier one investor visa, launched in 2008, must have at least £2 million in investment funds and have a UK bank account.
It has been under review due to repeated concerns that the system could be exploited because not enough background checks are made on applicants.
Sources confirmed the scheme will be abandoned in an announcement to be made next week.
Lib Dem Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Layla Moran said: “The Conservatives have turned a blind eye to Russian interference in this country for years and had an open door policy to Kremlin cronies.
“Cancelling the scheme is long overdue, it shouldn't have taken the threat of a defeat in Parliament to finally get this Government to act.”
