By Alberto Nardelli and Jennifer Jacobs

The U.S. believes Russia could take offensive military action or attempt to spark a conflict inside Ukraine as early as next week, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said. 

Conflict “could begin during the Olympics despite a lot of speculation that it could only happen after” the Winter Games end, Sullivan told reporters at the White House on Friday. “What we can say is that there is a credible prospect that a Russian military action would take place even before the end of the Olympics.”

A Russian attack would likely begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that would cause widespread civilian casualties, Sullivan said, encouraging Americans in Ukraine to leave as soon as feasible. 

The actions by Russia could include causing a provocation in the Donbas region, where Ukraine’s military has been fighting for years against separatists backed by Moscow, or attacking the country’s capital, Kyiv, officials familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified speaking about such a sensitive topic. They said any action could start as soon as Tuesday.

Either move would represent a dramatic escalation after months of tensions over Russia’s military buildup near the Ukraine border. The U.S. and other nations estimate Russia now has 130,000 troops in the area. Any action inside Ukraine risks setting off the biggest conflict on European territory since World War II. 

The biggest unknown remains the intentions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. does not know whether Putin has decided to implement such plans, people familiar with the matter said. In addition, the U.S. has not shared evidence underlining the assessments, they said.

Проверочные мероприятия в Южном и Западном военных округах завершены, сообщил министр обороны России Сергей Шойгу. 23 апреля войска начнут возвращаться в пункты постоянной дислокации.

«Считаю, что цели внезапной проверки достигнуты полностью. Войска продемонстрировали способность обеспечить надежную оборону страны»,— объявил министр на совещании в Крыму об итогах действий войск.