US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is “convinced” Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to overthrow the Ukrainian government. Blinken told ABC TV on Thursday the Russian plan has been to put Kyiv in danger, MIA writes.

“To assault the capital, to go after other major cities,” Blinken said.

“We’re seeing forces come in from the north, from the east, from the south, and that’s all part of the plan that we’ve laid out for the world in recent weeks.”

However, Blinken said he believed Ukraine would “prevail” against Russia. “Over – whether it’s in the near term, whether it’s in the medium term, whether it’s in the long term, I am convinced that democracy and the independence of Ukraine is going to prevail.”