Morning mail: US says Russia has put troops into position, Australia’s sanctions, Sydney trains fiasco

Thursday: Forces ready to go now if they get the order' to invade Ukraine, US defence official says. Plus: key questions about the NSW transport row

Good morning. A senior US defence official says Russia has moved nearly 100% of its troops into a position needed for an invasion as the UN chief warns: The world is facing a moment of peril." Ukraine has urged millions of its citizens in Russia to leave immediately.

Nato has accused Russia of attempting to rewrite the entire global security architecture", saying the Kremlin is using force and ultimatums ... to redraw borders in Europe". The EU approved wide-ranging sanctions that go beyond the UK and US response, including leading Russian military figures, state propagandists" and parliamentarians. The former US president Donald Trump has called Vladimir Putin's decision to declare independent states within Ukraine genius", praising as a smart move" the call to send the strongest peace force I've ever seen" into the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Meanwhile, Ukraine's parliament is set to unveil state of emergency laws that will allow citizens to carry lethal firearms, with Ukrainians reportedly rushing to buy guns and ammunition at weapons stores across the nation.