Russia giving 'mixed signals' over Ukraine, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has said there are “mixed signals” coming out of Russia about the prospect of an invasion of Ukraine after Moscow claimed to be withdrawing troops from near the border.

The Prime Minister said the intelligence he received was not encouraging, with the construction of field hospitals and the movement of extra forces closer to the border with Ukraine suggesting preparations were being made for an invasion.

Following a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee, Mr Johnson suggested there was a “diplomatic opening” to resolve the crisis without a war.

But Moscow had preparations in place to launch an invasion at “virtually any time”, he added.

Speaking to reporters in Downing Street, Mr Johnson said: “Last night going into today clearly there are signs of a diplomatic opening.”

But he added that the “intelligence that we are seeing today is still not encouraging”, with Russian field hospitals being built close to Belarus’s border with Ukraine.

That could only be “construed as preparation for an invasion”, the Prime Minister said.

Russia’s defence ministry said that some troops and equipment were returning to base from areas close to the border with Ukraine following the conclusion of military exercises.

But Mr Johnson said intelligence suggested “you have got more battalion tactical groups being brought closer to the border”.

“So mixed signals, I think, at the moment,” he said.