Russia Denies Massing Troops on Ukraine Border, Kiev Says Risk of War 'Growing'
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Russia's deputy defense minister Anatoly Antonov denied on Sunday it was massing troops on the Ukrainian border, saying it was observing international agreements.
"The Russian defense ministry is observing all the international agreements on limiting the numbers of troops in regions bordering Ukraine," Antonov told journalists, cited by the Interfax news agency.
"Russia's armed forces are not carrying out any unannounced military activity that could threaten the security of neighboring states," Antonov added.
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council chief Andriy Parubiy warned Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to attack Ukraine with "troops massed at the border."
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has discussed Russian troop activities on the Ukraine border with U.S. and Ukrainian counterparts Chuck Hagel and Igor Tenyukh, Antonov said.
"Sergei Shoigu absolutely clearly and unambiguously informed all those he talked to about the real position on the Russian-Ukrainian border and the lack of any intentions to concentrate forces there."
"Shoigu called on the U.S. defense secretary to objectively assess the state of military readiness of the Russian armed forces in the regions bordering Ukraine and not to blow up the situation," Antonov said.
He said seven groups of international inspectors visited regions adjoining the Ukrainian border over the last month, adding: "We have nothing to hide there."
Later on Sunday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia said in an interview broadcast on U.S. television that the chances of war between his country and Russia were growing.
"They are growing, I would say. We don't know what Putin has in his mind and what would be his decision," Deshchytsya told ABC's "This Week" political talk show, referring to the Russian president.
"That's why this situation is becoming even more explosive than it used to be a week ago," the Ukrainian foreign minister added.
The remarks were broadcast a day after Russian forces used armored personnel carriers and stun grenades to break into the Belbek airbase near Simferopol, the main city on the Crimean peninsula.
An earlier transcript of Deshchytsya's comments released by ABC reiterated his concerns about the prospect of war.
"The problem is that Russians, and particularly Putin's administration, Putin himself is not talking to the rest of the world, he doesn't want to listen to the world, he doesn't want to respond on the arguments, Ukrainian arguments and arguments to de-escalate the situation and stop invasion."
