Russia is laying the groundwork for annexing Ukrainian territories and is installing illegitimate officials representing it in regions of Ukraine it already controls, the White House said on Tuesday.
Releasing what he said was US intelligence information, the US National Security Council’s top spokesman, John Kirby, told a White House press conference that the Russians were preparing to install officials representing them, establish the ruble as the default currency and force residents to apply for Russian citizenship.
Russia is also trying to take control of transmission towers, he said.
At the same time, Kirby said that in the coming days the United States will announce a new weapons package for Ukraine, which is fighting a fierce battle with Russia in its eastern region.
It will be the 16th such funding approved by the US Congress and allocated under presidential authority, he said.
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