US official predicts large-scale invasion, says Russia fired more than 100 missiles in first hours of attack

A senior US defense official says today’s attack by Russia appears to be the first phase in what will likely be a multiple-phased, large-scale invasion.

The official says it began around 9:30 p.m. US eastern time, with land- and sea-based missile launches. The official says that roughly more than 100 missiles, primarily short-range ballistic missiles, but also medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and sea-launched missiles, were launched in the first few hours of the attack.

The official says the Russians are moving on three axes: From Crimea to Kherson, from Belarus toward Kyiv, and from the northeast to Kharkiv.

The official, who speaks on condition of anonymity, said it’s not clear how many Russian troops are in Ukraine now, and the main targets of the air assault have been barracks, ammunition warehouses, and 10 airfields. The official says Russian ground forces began to move into Ukraine from Belarus around 5 a.m. eastern time.