NATO's top military commander believes there are 40,000 Russian troops waiting on Ukraine's border -- and he has the satellite images to prove it.
Speaking on Thursday to the Associated Press, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, who is NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, said there is a "force of about 40,000" Russian troops parked on the border with Ukraine, and they're ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
Satellite images from DigitalGlobe, provided to the AP by the general's staff, show what appear to be dozens of Russian tanks, armored vehicles, combat jets and helicopter gunships amassing on the country's border with Ukraine.
"I would characterize it as a combined arms army. In other words, this is an army that has all of the provisioning and enablers that it needs to accomplish military objectives if given them," Breedlove said.
Russian forces around Ukraine fully equipped/capable to invade. Public denial undermines progress. Images tell story http://t.co/vQ0z2OM5I4— Phil Breedlove (@PMBreedlove) April 10, 2014
"The Russians have an array of capabilities including aircraft, helicopters, special forces, tanks, artillery, infantry fighting vehicles… and these could move in a matter of hours,” Brigadier Gary Deakin, the Director of the Comprehensive Crisis Operations and Management Centre (CCOMC) at SHAPE, said to reporters, according to NATO.
![[img src="http://admin.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/DigitalGlobeRussiaUkraine1.jpg" caption="This satellite image made by DigitalGlobe on March 22, 2014, and provided by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) on Tuesday, April 9, 2014, shows what are purported to be Russian military Su-27/30 "Flankers" aircraft at the Primorko-Akhtarsk Air Base in southern Russia." credit="DigitalGlobe via SHAPE" alt=""]](http://admin.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/DigitalGlobeRussiaUkraine1.jpg){kind=link}
"These forces have a destabilizing effect and present serious implications for the security and stability of the region,” he said.
![[img src="http://admin.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/DigitalGlobeRussiaUkraine3.jpg" caption="This satellite image made by DigitalGlobe on March 26, 2014, and provided by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) on Tuesday, April 9, 2014, shows what are purported to be Russian Mil Mi-8 "Hips" and Mil Mi-24 "Hinds" aircraft in Belgorod, southern Russia, about 50 km north of the Russian border with eastern Ukraine." credit="DigitalGlobe via SHAPE" alt=""]](http://admin.mashable.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/DigitalGlobeRussiaUkraine3.jpg){kind=link}
NATO says it continues to monitor the events closely and has increased surveillance flights over Romania and Poland "in order to maintain awareness of activity in Ukraine." NATO also has significantly increased air policing activity and the number of aircraft dedicated to this task, it says.
The images, which were taken in late March, have spurred worry amongst NATO and its allies that Russia could invade Ukraine at a moment's notice. The alliance has given Breedlove until Tuesday to come up with a plan that answers Russia's military buildup and that will demonstrate NATO's support of Ukraine.
"Essentially what we are looking at is a package of land, air and maritime measures that would build assurance for our easternmost allies," Breedlove said of his plan-in-progress. "I'm tasked to deliver this by next week. I fully intend to deliver it early."
Russian news outlet RT, however, reports that the images were taken last summer. DigitalGlobe, however, tells Mashable it can confirm that the dates in the AP report of March 2014 are accurate.
NATO satellite images of Russian troops on #Ukraine border taken last summer - Gen Staff pic.twitter.com/ch6HO6jrkg http://t.co/61ClrQe5jp— RT (@RT_com) April 10, 2014
Additionally, the Russian foreign ministry says don't worry about NATO's "horror stories."
"The United States and Ukraine have no reason to be worried," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Russia has stated many times that it is not carrying out any unusual or unplanned activity on its territory near the border with Ukraine that would be of military significance."
Russia deputy defense minister Anatoly Antonov accused NATO of conducting a "harsh, uncompromising information war" against his country. "We see what NATO is doing in Ukraine to prevent them from normalizing ties with us. Horror stories about the Russian armed forces are being spread."
Russian news outlet RT, however, reports that the images were taken