EXPLAINER: Russia’s risky options beyond full Ukraine attack

By BEN FOX and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — With more than 100,000 Russian troops positioned around Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be preparing to launch an invasion. Certainly, the U.S. believes that’s the case and President Joe Biden has warned the Ukrainian president that an attack could come in February. But Russia has other options it could pursue short of a full-blown invasion, and other ways to lash out at the U.S. and its allies. They include cyberattacks, cuts to oil and wheat shipments and closer military ties to China. All the options carry varying degrees of risk, to Russia and the world.