Russia-Ukraine updates: US to ban Russian carriers from its airspace

Homeland security and FBI officials in the last few days have quietly been briefing private industry and government officials to shore up and focus on cybersecurity in anticipation of a possible Russian invasion, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

On Thursday, senior law enforcement and homeland officials briefed U.S. banking leaders and on Friday they briefed some of the nation’s governors to take action and get the word out, the source said.

DHS and FBI officials urged state officials to shore up their cyber infrastructure, according to the source.

-ABC News' Luke Barr, Alex Malin and Pierre Thomas

Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s parliament and a key ally of Vladimir Putin, accused Ukrainian President president Volodymyr Zelenskyy of "provoking the start of a large war,"
in a social media post.

Volodin accused the Ukrainian president of "firing on peaceful citizens," without any evidence.

"Russia doesn’t want war. It has said there many times before and our President Vladimir Putin is saying it today. But if a threat arises to the lives of Russian citizens and compatriots...our country will rise to their defense,” Volodin wrote on his personal Telegram channel.

Volodin also accused the U.S. of laying the groundwork for an attack on Russian-backed separatists by increasing its rhetoric against Russia.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

President Biden provided an update on the ongoing situation between Ukraine and Russia and reiterated that he believes that an invasion will happen in the coming days.

Biden cited intelligence reports but said that diplomacy is still on the table to prevent any armed conflict.

"We're calling out Russia's plans loudly and repeatedly, not because we want a conflict but we’re doing everything in our power to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine," he said.

Biden said that the U.S. will not send troops, but is committed to economic sanctions and providing Ukraine with weapons and support if there is an invasion.

"Russia has a choice between war and all of the suffering it will bring and diplomacy," he said.

Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser, told reporters during a news conference Friday that U.S. intelligence has determined that Russian cyber actors have likely targeted the Ukrainian government.

Specifically, Neuberger alleged the actors used DDoS attacks on Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and state owned banks this week.

"We have technical information that the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, was seen transmitting high volumes of communication to Ukraine based IP addresses and domains. We've shared the underlying intelligence with Ukraine and with our European partners," she said.

Neuberger said the attacks were of "limited impact" but she reiterated calls on the American private sector to be alert.

"If Russia attacks the United States or allies through asymmetric activities, like disruptive cyber attacks against our companies are critical infrastructure, we are prepared to respond," she said.

Later in the afternoon, the British government also alleged that the GRU was behind the DDoS attacks in Ukraine.