UPDATE - Biden: Russia could invade Ukraine within next several days

ADDS DETAILS, REVISES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden said Thursday that Russia could invade Ukraine within days and stressed that a diplomatic resolution is still possible.

The threat of an invasion is "very high” and Moscow is moving troops and may be engaged in a false flag operation, Biden told reporters at the White House before his trip to the state of Ohio.

When asked if he thinks Russia will go through with an invasion, Biden replied: "Yes, I do. Not now … My sense is this will happen within the next several days."

"That's why I asked Secretary Blinken to go to the United Nations and make his statement today," he added.

Biden said he was awaiting a response to his letter sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said Russia has not moved any troops from around Ukraine but has added more. "We have reason to believe that they are engaged in a false-flag operation to have an excuse to go in. Every indication we have is they're prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine," said the president.

A senior Biden administration official said Wednesday that Russia has moved up to 7,000 forces to the Ukrainian border, countering claims by Moscow that it was pulling back some troops.