Naveed Jamali

U.S. intelligence officials told Newsweek that Russian Tu-95s were being prepped to fly and Spetsnaz were operational as President Vladimir Putin announced an operation to "demilitarize" Ukraine.

U.S. officials told Newsweek that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been informed a full Russian invasion involving airstrikes, missiles and ground troops is imminent.

An FBI report obtained by Newsweek warns "the private sector about the threat of Russian state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) cyber activities, while tensions with Russia are heightened."

"You see issues like Crimea and Ukraine, in particular, and other areas now pressuring this bubble, this balloon, that was around the Arctic," U.S. Arctic Research Commission Chair Michael Sfraga told Newsweek.

Two U.S. officials confirmed to Newsweek that Russia could stage an invasion of Ukraine within days but a consensus on Moscow's plans eludes the intelligence community.

"What's comically unfortunate is that they have employed disinformation and saber-rattling for centuries. Yet we never learn," a U.S. official told Newsweek.

"U.S. intelligence has been in many cases terribly wrong," former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told Newsweek.

"I would expect future port calls in Cuba and Venezuela, but more importantly, I would anticipate announcements on Russia-China military exercises, bilateral agreements and enhanced cooperation," a U.S. intelligence official told Newsweek.

Domestic violent extremists "adhering to a range of ideologies will likely continue to plot and encourage physical attacks against electrical infrastructure," according to a DHS report obtained by Newsweek.

"Once the shots are fired, there is no putting the genie back in the bottle," former National Security Council Eastern European Affairs director Alexander Vindman told Newsweek.

A video shows him making anti-immigrant remarks after a smoothie he bought for his son contained peanuts.

"Russia believes that weakness narrative, and not just about Biden, not even primarily about Biden, about the West, about the United States and Europe," Jeremy Shapiro of the European Council on Foreign Relations told Newsweek.

"These extremist American organizations are looking to create a cadre of trained and experienced terrorists," Kristofer Goldsmith, CEO of the veteran-owned open-source intelligence firm Sparverius, told Newsweek, "a guerrilla warfare veteran, a potential leader of a guerrilla warfare unit when they get stateside."

"The B-52 has and will continue to serve as a vital component of the nuclear triad," the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command told Newsweek.

"On the Taiwan issue, all options are on the table for the Chinese mainland, it's difficult to anticipate when, how and where," South China Sea Probing Initiative Director Hu Bo told Newsweek.

"If you had a couple of small UAS and you flew into a crowded stadium, that could cause a lot of damage and it's a scenario that could potentially be in play," a U.S. military official told Newsweek.

Australia, India and others are rushing to buy a passenger plane-sized submarine killer called the P-8 Poseidon, which one senior Pentagon official calls "the best answer to countering Chinese submarines."

Unidentified drones struck positions near a U.S. military garrison located in a remote stretch of southeastern Syria close to the borders with Jordan and Iraq, Newsweek has learned.

As the head of the FCC moves to further restrict the use of Chinese drones, an internal DOI memo argues "there are no domestically produced UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] available" to fight fires the same way.

"Effectively, we've had very few folks who are going to be able to maintain employment," Washington State Patrol spokesperson Chris Loftis told Newsweek.

Expert analysis shared with Newsweek shows similarities between the "Waeed" unmanned aerial vehicle displayed earlier this year by Ansar Allah and a "Shahed-136" drone Western officials link to Iran.

Newsweek Editor-at-Large Naveed Jamali observed a U.S. military jet intercept a small plane over New York City.

Seven U.S. nationals were held in Dubai after having "arrived on a private plane carrying firearms," according to a State Department cable seen by Newsweek. They "reportedly planned to assist Afghanistan evacuation efforts."

Six private charter planes seeking to evacuate more than 1,000 people—including more than 100 Americans—out of Afghanistan have been grounded by the Taliban, an NGO official told Newsweek.

Senior Taliban official Anas Haqqani told Newsweek that "there are attempts" between his group's political bureau and the U.S. special envoy to free Mark Frerichs, "which I hope will be successful."

"We are aware there is likely a large amount of equipment provided to Afghan forces now in Taliban hands," Pentagon spokesperson Eric Pahon told Newsweek.

"Final plane is wheels up. War is over," a senior U.S. defense official told Newsweek.

"News of this list being shared shows that once the military-led evacuation effort concludes, America has a responsibility to use all of its available resources to rescue our allies by every other available method," Kristofer Goldsmith told Newsweek.

"Almost anything now can be used by ISIS to try to break up the Taliban's ability to appear or be somewhat moderate, affecting its relations with the US and outside powers," Anthony H. Cordesman of CSIS told Newsweek.

"The U.S. government needs to get over its hang-ups on steps and process and meetings," Mark Frerichs' sister told Newsweek. "The Taliban have been clear about what they wanted since last summer and we need to act on it while the window is open to get Mark home. Why can't we just take 'yes' for an answer?"