US ups estimate of Russian forces on Ukraine border to 130,000

U.S. officials have officially upped their estimate of Russian military forces at the Ukraine border from 100,000 to 130,000.

A U.S. official provided the update on condition of anonymity, per the The Associated Press.

The White House and Pentagon have been using the 100,000 estimate for weeks, but have warned that Russia is mounting additional troops and equipment on the border. 

Intelligence obtained by the U.S. says that Russia is eyeing Wednesday as the target date for an invasion, according to the AP.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has played down U.S. officials’ warnings, questioning the U.S. initial warnings that Russia could invade his country as soon as midweek.

“We understand all the risks, we understand that there are risks,” Zelensky said on Saturday. “If you, or anyone else, has additional information regarding a 100% Russian invasion starting on the 16th, please forward that information to us.”

Zelensky also said that the country’s civilian and military leaders have been preparing defenses as the country receives weapons and other material from the U.S. and other NATO members.

President Biden spoke with Zelensky for about an hour on Sunday, with the Ukrainian leader insisting the country is under “safe and reliable protection” against a possible attack by Russian forces, the AP reported. 

The Biden administration said both leaders agreed to keep pushing for both deterrence and diplomacy in an attempt to stave off a Russian attack. 

The U.S. is sending 3,000 additional soldiers to Eastern Europe, with some 1,700 arriving in Poland this past week. The Army is also shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which shares a border with Ukraine.