RUSSIAN forces are already feared to be inside Ukraine as Kiev announced it foiled a possible false flag attack amid looming fears of an invasion.

Kiev claims it has dismantled a group of saboteurs who were being "coordinated by Russian special services" for a string of attacks in Zhytomyr and Kharkiv.

Kharkiv is close to the border with Russia, while Zhytomyr is close to Kiev and a few hundred miles from the border with Belarus.

Ukrainian secret service the SBU said the Russia-backed group was planning assaults on city infrastructure in a bid to "destabilise" the border region.

It comes amid repeated warnings over a potential false flag attack by Russia that could be used as a pretext for an invasion.

And it came as UK Armed Forces minister James Heappey claimed that parts of a "Russian military advance force" are already in Ukraine.

Fears of war in the region loom large as Putin has sent more than 100,000 troops to the border with Ukraine.

The world now sits on the brink of the largest conflict in Europe since World War 2.

False flags attacks would carried out by Putin's forces posing as another group – such as criminals, mercenaries, militias or even Kiev's forces.

And such attacks would be designed to destabilise Ukraine or potentially provide outright justification for invasionby Russia.

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Ukrainian security services released pictures showing a raid on the gang as armed special forces broke into an apartment to seize weapons and cash.

The SBU said that an explosive device, small arms , ammo, training plans and computers were seized during the raid.

"The gang's organizers were preparing to commit a series of robberies on urban infrastructure, including the commercial sphere", said the security service.

"According to their plan, this should lead to destabilization of the internal situation in the regions".

Two locals had reportedly planned the operation under the guise of a setting up a security firm.

But secretly the operation was being organised by the Russian secret services – however it is unclear as to what end.

The targets – which have not been revealed – were selected for the financial impact and "the size of publicity it would lead to".

Ukraine needs our help. Which is why the Prime Minister took the decision to send them more than just warm words

The United States has warned that Moscow could manufacture an incident in Ukraine to be able to then frame an invasion as a justified response.

US State Department officials have warned that Russia uses these so-called "false flag" attacks to "portray itself or its partners as victims, evade responsibility, sow confusion and create a pretext for war".

Joe Biden's press secretary Jen Psaki warned: "The operatives are trained in urban warfare and in using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia’s own proxy forces."

Today, Mr Heappey warned there are already Russian-military linked figures in Ukraine.

"We are becoming aware of a significant number of individuals that are assessed to be associated with Russian military advance-force operations and currently located in Ukraine," he wrote for The Sun.

But he says Britain is fully behind Ukraine in the same way that it backed Poland in World War 2, and saying the PM has sent them “more than just warm words”.

"To be British is to go to the aid of others and to defend those who cannot defend themselves. That’s why we went to the aid of Poland in 1939," he said.

“Ukraine needs our help. Which is why the Prime Minister took the decision to send them more than just warm words.”

Boris Johnson last night urged President Putin to step back from the brink of a “painful, violent and bloody” invasion of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister warned of Russian plans for a “lightning war” that could take out the capital Kiev.

Johnson however ruled out sending British combat troops but will provide weapon support for Ukraine and back a crushing raft of Western economic sanctions against Russia.

Nato ordered fighter jets and battleships to the conflict zone as President Joe Biden mulled plans to rush as many as 50,000 US troops into Eastern Europe to stop a bloodbath.

Putin has 127,000 troops, tanks, artillery and missile batteries plus warjets and drones ringing the border with its pro-Western neighbour after peace talks failed.

He hopes a lightning victory will boost him back home after being dogged by a flagging economy and Covid woes.

Military sources say another 30 trainloads of troops have poured into Ukraine’s pro-Putin neighbour Belarus in recent days — and 200 more could follow.

The move — claimed to be for “military exercises” in Belarus — sparked alarm in Kiev, just 100 miles from the Belarusian border.

It came amid fears a conflict would push already record gas prices even higher if Russia cut off Europe’s access.

Government insiders believe Russia will weaponise gas and petrol if the West imposes sanctions.

The PM fired off his toughest salvo yet at ruthless strongman Putin, warning that any steps into Ukraine would be met with force and crippling economic sanctions.

The PM insisted “sense can still prevail” despite gloomy intelligence, but any war may be “the new Chechnya” as the Ukrainians will not give in without a fight.

He told reporters: “There are 60 Russian battle groups on the borders of Ukraine.

The plan for a lightning war that could take out Kiev is one that everybody can see.

“We need to make it very clear to the Kremlin, to Russia, that that would be a disastrous step. Invading Ukraine, from a Russian perspective, is going to be a painful, violent and bloody business.

“And I think that people in Russia need to understand that it could be their new Chechnya.”

Russia attempted to seize Chechnya in 1994 with overwhelming firepower — but lost an estimated 14,000 troops in just 20 months in a brutal guerilla war.

Analysts say Putin is now almost certain to launch a limited strike in the next ten days — which could include an attack on the three-million-strong population of the Ukrainian capital.

The UK Foreign Office said it was pulling out around half of its staff and their families in Kiev “in response to growing threat from Russia” — but will remain open for essential business.

Washington ordered diplomats’ families to leave, warning a Russian invasion could come “at any time” — but stressed it was not an evacuation.

The US State Department also warned people not to travel to Ukraine or Russia.

Mr Biden was considering a dramatic tactical about-turn yesterday after a bungled speech last week in which he appeared to green light a limited Russian invasion.

Pentagon sources said he was considering flying up to 50,000 troops, bolstered by battleships and warplanes, to eastern Europe to counter any Russian offensive.

Nato said Denmark and Spain were also sending planes and ships to eastern Europe — and France is looking at sending over more troops in a new drive to face down bully Putin.

Russia hit back warning it would “respond appropriately” to any US moves and again denied it was planning to invade.

But latest satellite pictures showed thousands of troops and military vehicles lined up around the border as camps and field hospitals were stocked with supplies.

Putin’s commanders are now waiting for a biting winter cold snap to freeze the ground solid to enable tanks to launch an offensive — as temperatures across Ukraine plunged to -8C last night.

But Ukrainian volunteers training in snowy parks in Kiev yesterday pledged to fight to their “last breath and bullet” in a guerilla war — and send thousands of body bags to Russia.

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