Approximately 130,000 Russian ground, air, missile, artillery, logistics, medical, electronic warfare, and command forces now encircle Ukraine from its north and east. Russian forces are also massed inside Ukraine via occupied Crimea and the southeastern Donbas region.
The U.S. and British air forces are now engaged in near-persistent aerial intelligence monitoring of these Russian forces. Air traffic monitoring websites show that this intelligence effort centers on drones, signal intelligence, and ground radar aircraft. Of particular note, U.S. ground radar aircraft are now operating at night. This is likely in order to anticipate either Russian preparations for a night offensive or the covert nighttime movement of more sensitive Russian military equipment, such as missile and electronic warfare systems.
