“The man the Kremlin wants to run Ukraine”

The United States says too soon to impose harsh sanction on Russia for its hostile stance towards Ukraine

The Secretary of State Antony Blinken says any deterrence would be lost if sanctions were triggered too early.

It comes as the UK accuses Russia of trying to install a puppet government in Kyiv – a claim that Moscow denies.

As tensions mount on the border between Russia and Ukraine, the UK is accusing Vladimir Putin of choosing this man to run Ukraine

The British Foreign Office is now naming a former Ukranian MP as the potential Kremlin candidate – an accusation Moscow is firmly denying.

This is the man the British believe will soon lead Ukraine, if the Kremlin has its way.

Ukrainian MP Yev-en Mur-ayev – a pro Russian figure.

In 2019, his party only won 3 per cent of the vote – short of the 5% barrier.

he founded the pro-Russian TV channel NASH, which was owned by his father.

Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK says he’s not surprised the Russians would choose the former MP.

Western and Ukrainian intelligence services believe an invasion could happen at any time, after Russian forces amassed on the border.

Russia denies it is planning any attack .. but President Putin has issued demands to the West. He wants a firm guarantee that Ukraine wont join NATO.

He also wants Nato to abandon military exercises and stop sending weapons to eastern Europe.

But Russia’s annexation of Crimea have galvanized public support for Ukraine’s Western leanings.

The Americans say NATO is a defensive force, and accuse Russia of trying to increase its sphere of influence.

Russia denies the “plot”

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the British Foreign Office is “circulating disinformation” and called on the UK to “stop spreading nonsense”. 

In a statement, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “The information being released today shines a light on the extent of Russian activity designed to subvert Ukraine, and is an insight into Kremlin thinking.

“Russia must de-escalate, end its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy.

“As the UK and our partners have said repeatedly, any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake with severe costs.”

In Kiyv, the weather is still freezing, with the hope there’ll be no cold war.