The tense standoff over Ukraine shows no sign of calming.
On Saturday, unnamed American officials told reporters that Russia has assembled 70 percent of the forces it would need to invade its southwestern neighbour.
However, the US claims have been met with scepticism throughout the standoff, particularly in Ukraine where defence officials say talk of a large-scale attack is driven by “internal and geopolitical processes” in the West.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly frustrated by US President Joe Biden’s characterisation of an invasion as “imminent”.
And a report released by the Centre for Defence Strategies, a think tank headed by Ukraine’s former Minister of Defence Andriy Zahorodniuk, in January concluded that a total invasion, with the occupation of major cities such as Kyiv, was highly unlikely.
At the same time, most observers agree that Ukraine nevertheless faces other threats.
Al Jazeera spoke to Alexander Khara, a Ukrainian diplomat and former assistant defence minister, who now sits on the Centre’s board.
