Speaking before the United Nations Security Council, United States Secretary of State Anthony Plinkin said today that Washington is checking its information on the Ukrainian crisis through "what happens in plain sight."

Plinkin added that he had come to the Council today "not to start a war but to prevent it," noting that "Russia is preparing to launch an attack on Ukraine in the coming days."

"Russia planned to produce an excuse for an attack on its neighbour; may include a fictitious or real chemical attack. " If Russia (Ukraine) was not "invaded," the United States would be calm and would gladly accept any criticism by anyone.

He added that if Russia was seeking peace, "it could declare today, without reservations or deviation, that it would not invade Ukraine."

As Plinkin continued, he sent a letter to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, today, proposing that he convene next week's meeting in Europe to resolve the crisis.

Earlier in the day, US President Joe Biden said Russia had "invaded" Ukraine over the next few days, confirming that there were indications.

Moscow responds to Western claims that it has the right to move, move and mobilize its forces within its borders at will and completely refuses to intervene in its own affairs, particularly military, while at the same time Russia does not negate its fears about the aggressive military movements of NATO and its partner in the Eastern European region.

Earlier, President Vladimir Putin said that for the United States, Ukraine was merely a tool to reach its goal of containing Russia and dragging it into "armed conflict."

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that "the Russian security response, shared with the United States, confirms that the demands for the withdrawal of troops from certain Russian areas are unacceptable."

The Ministry's statement stated: "The increased military activity of the United States and NATO directly at the Russian border is alarming, while the red lines and our fundamental security interests, as well as Russia's sovereign right to protect them, continue to be ignored."