In recent weeks, they said, their fears have strengthened that Russia’s incursion into Ukraine could be preceded by information warfare and cyberattacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure such as electricity and gas networks..
The sources added that Russia could also use mercenaries to sow discord and paralyze Ukraine through targeted assassinations and the use of specialized weapons..
The United States warned again on Sunday that Russia might launch a “spurious” operation inside Ukraine to justify its invasion.
“It is likely that Russian mercenaries, under the direction of the Russian state, will take part in any hostilities in Ukraine that may include a pretext for an invasion,” said a Western security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.“.
Western security sources said the mercenaries are deployed from Russian private military companies with close ties to the Russian Federal Security Service, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB and GRU..
It added that a former military intelligence officer working with the Wagner private military group was among those deployed in recent weeks to Ukraine. She said the former officer had gone to Donetsk, one of two regions controlled by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine since 2014..
Reuters was unable to confirm what was assigned to the former officer, whose identity has not been revealed. She was also not able to reach Wagner Group for comment.
The Kremlin told Reuters on Monday that Russia was not strengthening its presence on the territory of Ukraine and that Russian forces had never been there, and are not there now..
The Russian Defense Ministry declined to comment when asked in writing on Friday about the Western allegations.