False Flags, Cyberattacks, and Chemical Warfare: 'This Crisis Affects Every Country of the World'

Russia continued its saber-rattling against its neighbor Ukraine and western powers on Friday, announcing massive drills of its nuclear forces.

Russia could strike Ukraine quickly in coming days, wielding every weapon of war: from overwhelming military force to cyber-attacks and chemical warfare. 

That's what the U.S. Secretary of State said the Kremlin has in store for Ukraine in the coming days. The U.S. government released grim details of what could be the beginning stages of war in Eastern Europe. President Biden said a violent and costly incursion is very likely to happen soon. 

"We have reason to believe they are engaged in a false-flag operation to have an excuse to go in," Mr. Biden said. 

The government hopes to preempt any plans to invade Ukraine by sharing intelligence of what's to come if Russia chooses the path to war. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says first, Russia will use a fake reason to launch an attack – what's known as a 'false flag'. And that will lead to war in Ukraine.

"Russian missiles and bombs will drop across Ukraine, communications will be jammed, cyber-attacks will shut down key Ukrainian institutions," said Blinken.

Blinken addressed the UN Security Council Thursday, saying he was not there to start a war, but prevent one. He shared information that indicates Russia will target specific groups of Ukrainians, with plans to bring tanks into the capital of Kyiv, a city of almost 2 million people. While bracing for the worst, Ukrainians are responding boldly to Russia's rising aggression. 

"This crisis affects every member of this council and every country of the world," Blinken said. 

NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned how dangerous a war could be as Russia also amasses forces in its allied country of Belarus. 

"We have seen missiles in Belarus, and those are dual-capable missiles that can carry nuclear weapons," said Stoltenberg. 

Russia argues that any attempts to place blame on Russia are futile and baseless. Blinken says the point of sharing these grim details is to "avoid the path of war so we can choose a different path while there's still time." 

In Ukraine itself, support for joining NATO – the very thing Vladimir Putin doesn't want – is now at an all-time high.