Russia has decided to optimize its diplomatic staff numbers in Ukraine.

Russia’s Northern Fleet holds military drills in the Arctic region as tensions mount between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

The Russian military has successfully test-fired a hypersonic cruise missile against a target in the country’s north as Moscow is engaged in naval drills in the Black Sea region.

The European Union (EU) threatens Russia with "unprecedented measures" and "serious consequences" in response to "further aggression" against Ukraine.

Russian naval forces are monitoring a French warship near Russia's borders in the Black Sea, amid growing concerns over the risk of a major military confrontation.

Moscow protests to the US embassy in the country over "dangerous" manoeuvres of US and NATO military aircraft and ships near Russian borders.

A similar incident took place last week, involving US aircraft.

Russia's state aviation authority says its air traffic control personnel have been forced to divert the course of two aircraft to avoid collision with a NATO spy plane in the Black Sea region.

An American political analyst says an unprovoked Russian attack on Ukraine is highly unlikely, adding that such accusations by the West “lack substance” and are meant to pile up pressure on Moscow.  

Russia’s ambassador to the US has criticized the West’s shipment of arms to Ukraine, saying the assumptions that Moscow would not respond to Kiev’s military moves in fear of NATO is a “very dangerous delusion”.