Ministry of Defence posts map of how Putin could invade Ukraine on Twitter

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has published what it believes could be Russia's invasion plan for Ukraine on Twitter.

The UK, US and NATO continue to warn that Russia could invade Ukraine "in the coming days".

Amid a fast-moving situation, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said on Thursday he believed Russia was planning to launch an attack against Ukraine in the coming days with a military force including ground troops and aircraft ships.

The move by the MoD to share what it believes is Russia's battle plan is another example of the West publishing its intelligence for the general public to see.

Usually, intelligence is kept secret, but in recent years the UK, US and some European nations have been very public with information it has collected on Russian aggression and espionage.

In recent weeks the West has been publishing what it believes are the dates Russia could invade, despite no invasion yet happening.

The UK and US has also revealed what it believes are plans by the Russians to install a puppet regime in Kyiv after conquering Ukraine, going as far as to name the person who could be installed as president.

The UK and US's motives behind why they are going public with the information haven't been explained but it could be an attempt to keep the element of surprise from Vladimir Putin, as well as ruining any potential false flag operations.

A false flag operation is when one nation fabricates an aggressive act against itself to justify an attack.

Derek Chollet, the US state department counsellor, said on Wednesday that the US and its allies wanted to warn of Russia possibly carrying out such operations in Ukraine “in order to hinder their ability to do so”.

“We are trying to be as forthcoming as possible, to say that’s their play and what could be coming,” Chollet said.

Read more: Why Russia invading Ukraine could increase your energy bills

"We’re in an information war with the Russians and we have been for some time,” Angela Stent, director of Georgetown University’s center for Eurasian, Russian and east European studies, told the Guardian.

“I think the Russians have been taken by surprise. I think they didn’t realise how much the US and Britain knew about this, but also that they would put it out there publicly. So I think it’s possible that this has had the impact of making Putin maybe rethink some things he might do.”

What is the latest?

Russia is believed to have amassed more than 150,000 troops at bases near Ukraine's border, including in Belarus, which border sits less than 80 miles from Kyiv.

The Kremlin claimed earlier this week that its troops had completed military drills and the soldiers were returning to camp, but NATO has said it has seen no evidence of a pullback.

But US President Joe Biden has warned there was now every indication Russia was planning to invade into Ukraine, including signs Moscow was carrying out a false flag operation to justify it, after Ukrainian forces and pro-Moscow rebels traded fire and a kindergarten was shelled.

Boris Johnson said an attack on a kindergarten in Ukraine was a “false flag operation” by Russia which has been designed to “discredit” the Ukrainians.

Watch: Ukraine shows unity as West sees no sign of Russian pullback

Read more: Ukraine crisis: Russia has 'massive invasion force ready to attack', Nato chief says

On Thursday Moscow ejected the number two official from the US embassy and released a strongly worded letter to the United States accusing Washington of ignoring its security demands.

"We have reason to believe they are engaged in a false flag operation to have an excuse to go in. Every indication we have is they’re prepared to go into Ukraine and attack Ukraine," Biden told reporters as he departed the White House.