The Pentagon says the United States has obtained intelligence indicating that the Russian government has hatched a plan to stage a fake attack that would depict the Ukrainian military or its intelligence forces attacking Russian territory to help establish a pretext for action. military against Ukraine. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Wednesday that the Department of Defense has “information indicating that Russia is already actively working to create a pretext for a possible invasion” of Ukraine. Kirby said the operation had been approved by “the highest level in the Kremlin”. He says the plan includes the production of a graphic propaganda video that would show staged explosions and use dead bodies and actors portraying mourners, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment and spoke on condition of anonymity. The plan, which has come to light in declassified intelligence shared with Ukrainian officials and European allies in recent days, is the latest allegation by the United States and Britain that Russia is plotting to use a false pretext to enter. at war with Ukraine. In December, the White House accused Russia of developing a “false flag” operation to create a pretext for an invasion.