That picture on formation was actually taken on November 9th 2021. If there are over 100,000 soldiers, then where did they sleep all this time? Wouldn't you expect more facilities (barracks or tents) with such a large deployment? Have any pictures of those since surfaced? Edit: some more recent photos here.

@JJJ I can't put all the pictures in. The one I added is just a demonstration of what a tight formation is. Such tight deployments make for easy targets and would not be used defensively.

If it's just a demonstration, then it should be labelled as such.

And what about the Russian parliament to discuss draft bills on Donbass recognition?

Tight formations are not defensive, but that does not imply they are offensive

@StanOverflow It sure suggests that they're getting ready to move. Why do armies move, you might ask?

@J... Or that they have just moved, armies move to retreat, reposition, or attack

@StanOverflow And since there's nothing to retreat from and since they just got there after recently repositioning....

@StanOverflow Yes, and the other remaining interpretation is "make it look like you're about to attack", which was precisely the point I was getting to. Please don't put words in my mouth. And not the future, but yesterday, in fact... at least that's the narrative now. Of course Putin is playing games.

@J... "The point [you] were getting to" was already made in the answer, repeating it isn't useful or original information.

@StanOverflow You started this by objecting to the conclusion that their formation implied a preparation for attack. My point is that all other possibilities do not make logical sense - either they are positioning to attack or they are positioning to give the appearance of an attack. My only point was that concluding anything else, like they might just be in the area to count the pebbles in Rostov or something, is really just being fatuous.

Are there any sources supporting this that are NOT media outlets and are NOT US-based? I.e. risk management firms, private intelligence firms or even government agencies that engage in their own intelligence gathering?

@J... "all other possibilities do not make logical sense", I listed reposition, which is what they are now doing, repositioning away from the Ukrainian border

@StanOverflow I feel like you're deliberately avoiding the "why" question. Are you suggesting that Russia just took the army for a walk? Why would they reposition to the Ukranian border, hang out there, and then leave again if not to communicate an intent to attack? If you're honestly arguing that this could have been a purely innocent military movement with no intent of making a show of aggression then I don't think we have anything further to discuss.

@J... my point was simple, and what I put in my first reply, I never mentioned Russia's motives or intentions, it was purely that tight formation does not imply aggression, you are arguing about something I never asserted