Fox News Reporter in Kiev on Fears of Russian Invasion: ‘Overwhelming Sense’ Here is ‘This is Not Going to Happen’

Fox News correspondent Steve Harrigan, who is on the ground in Ukraine, expressed surprise Friday following a U.S. government warning that a Russian invasion might be imminent.

Biden administration National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned that the best intelligence indicates Russian President Vladimir Putin could be ready to strike at any moment.

After warning that a massive military action could take place within 24 to 48 hours, Sullivan urged all American citizens in Ukraine to leave.

“If you stay, you are assuming risk with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and no prospect of a U.S. Military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion,” Sullivan said. “If a Russian attack on Ukraine proceeds, it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians without regard to nationality.”

Following the remarks from Sullivan, Harrigan joined America Reports from Kiev, where he told co-host Sandra Smith that there is not a general sense of panic in Ukraine’s capital.

Smith asked, “Steve, What’s it like there, and how are people responding to the message from the United States?”

Harrigan expressed surprise at the language coming from the White House.

“Sandra, I gotta tell you, for me and for many people here, journalists, this is absolutely stunning news,” Harrigan said. “People weren’t sure what was going to happen, when, but it is very different for the Ukrainians.”

He continued:

This is a government that from the get-go has tried to play down a talk of a Russian invasion. The officials, the president saying it was not likely, don’t talk about it, don’t stir up fear, Americans, you are going to hurt our economy. When you talk to people out on the street, some people are preparing, some civilians have been training with weapons. Other people have tried to back their bags, fill their gas tanks, get ready to flee.

But overall, the overwhelming sense is, this is not going to happen, not going to war, a full-scale war with our neighbor, Russia. And people are going about their business. This is a city of three million. Jake Sullivan saying within two days there could be bombs, there could be missiles, people are driving normally, obeying the traffic lights, moving around as normal here in Kiev.

Watch above, via Fox News.

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