An instructor trains members of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces (AP Photo)

Just a few days after US-based Bloomberg news agency almost ignited a Third World War by falsely reporting that Russia had invaded Ukraine, US daily Politico foresees that Russia may launch an alleged invasion of Ukraine after February 20, with the prior date of the expected attack – February 16 – serving as a distraction from the actual dates.

Last Week, Politico provided predictions that are hot off the press, reporting that US President Joe Biden had told world leaders at a video conference that Russia would invade Ukraine on February 16.

The news received humorous responses from the Russian side with Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson announcing that Russian President Vladimir Putin has considered such reports a joke, asking if the media had revealed the exact hour of the invasion.

The UK rushed to join US media outlets with its fortunetelling skills as several UK tabloids have later published exact timings of predicted invasions that never came to pass.

The dramatization of an alleged Russian invasion

According to analysts cited by Politico in a Wednesday report, the February 16 invasion scenario was exaggerated in order to divert attention away from the true crucial dates, which are after February 20, for many reasons.

Firstly, the date marks the end of Russian-Belarusian joint exercises, after which Russian forces are expected to return home, according to observers. Moscow's objectives in this regard would be revealed by the Russian military's actions after February 20, according to the newspaper.

Secondly, the date will be the end of the Munich Security Conference, which will include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, US Vice President Kamala Harris, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

According to the publication, Russia's invasion at the time, when Ukraine's president is out of the country, would be a geopolitical ruse approved by Putin.

Finally, the Winter Olympics in Beijing will end on February 20, therefore Russia will not invade Ukraine before that date, according to the newspaper, in order to appease Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Many people will be relieved if the Russian offensive does not start before March 1, according to the publication, but the danger will still exist.

Editing phony predictions

When the expected Russian invasion, as predicted by British newspapers The Sun and Daily Mirror on Wednesday, did not occur, the Sun decided to alter their article on the web, changing the precise timing of the purported attack with the less precise "at any time."

The tensions around Ukraine have escalated in recent weeks, with the United States and the European Union expressing worry over Russian military buildup along the Ukrainian border, and NATO encouraging partners to provide military support for Kiev.

Russia, for its part, has consistently rejected any intention of invading its neighbor, affirming that NATO's military presence near its borders endangers its national security and stymies efforts to reach a peaceful conclusion in Ukraine.