Top Biden aide says Ukraine invasion could come 'any day'

If war breaks out, it will come at an enormous human cost to Ukraine, says White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day," launching a conflict that would come at an “enormous human cost."

The senior adviser to President Joe Biden offered another stark warning the day after US officials confirmed that Russia has assembled at least 70% of the military firepower it likely intends to have in place by mid-month to give President Vladimir Putin the option of launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“If war breaks out, it will come at an enormous human cost to Ukraine, but we believe that based on our preparations and our response, it will come at a strategic cost to Russia as well,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan did not directly address reports that the White House has briefed lawmakers that a full Russian invasion could lead to the quick capture of Kyiv and potentially result in as many as 50,000 casualties as he made appearances on a trio of Sunday talk shows.

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US officials, who discussed internal assessments of the Russian buildup on the condition that they not be identified, sketched out a series of indicators suggesting that Putin intends to start an invasion in the coming weeks, although the size and scale are unclear. They stressed that a diplomatic solution appears to remain possible.

Among those military indicators: An exercise of Russia's strategic nuclear forces that is usually held each fall was rescheduled for mid-February to March. That coincides with what US officials see as the most likely window for invasion.