Russia moving military helicopters into position on Ukraine’s border

Russia is moving military helicopters into position on the Ukrainian border in what could be a sign of impending invasion, The New York Times reported.

Per the Times, “U.S. officials say the Russian … window for an invasion is limited, dictated by temperatures that will freeze the ground — allowing for the easy movement of heavy vehicles and equipment — before a spring thaw, which could begin by March, creates a muddy quagmire.”

Around 100,000 Russian troops, 1,200 tanks, and hundreds of other vehicles are currently massed on the Ukrainian border, Forbes reports.

Talks between American and Russian diplomats began in Geneva Monday in an attempt to defuse the situation, but little progress has been made. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei A. Ryabkov attempted to downplay the risks of Russian invasion even as President Vladimir Putin continues to make aggressive moves.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Russia’s demands that NATO curtail its troop deployments in Eastern Europe and bar Ukraine from membership in the alliance are “non-starters.”