MOSCOW/DONETSK: Russia and Belarus are extending military drills that were set to end on Sunday, according to Belarus' defence minister, adding to the pressure on Ukraine as Western leaders warn of an impending Russian invasion.
The decision to extend the drills was made in response to military activity near Russia's and Belarus's borders, as well as an escalation of the situation in eastern Ukraine's Donbass region, according to a statement from Belarus's defence ministry.
According to NATO, Russia has up to 30,000 troops in Belarus and could use them as part of an invasion force to attack Ukraine, which lies to the south of Belarus. Moscow denies any such intention.
The Kremlin has not responded to the Belarus drills.
Without going into specifics, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the West's repeated warnings that Russia was about to invade Ukraine were provocative and could have negative consequences.
Russia and its allies claim that the West and Ukraine are inflaming tensions by sending NATO reinforcements to eastern Europe.
Belarus Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin stated that the purpose of the extended drills was to "ensure an adequate response and de-escalation of military preparations of ill-wishers near our common borders."
In the event of an invasion, Western countries are preparing broad sanctions against Russian companies and individuals.
In a BBC interview broadcast on Sunday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that such sanctions would "hit very very hard," and that they could include restrictions on Russian businesses' access to the dollar and the pound.
However, he admitted that such threats might not deter Moscow.
"At the moment, we have to accept that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin is possibly thinking illogically about this and does not see the disaster coming," Johnson said.
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, said the West should impose some of the sanctions now rather than waiting for an invasion.
"Russia must be stopped immediately. We can see how events are playing out "Kuleba stated.
The focus of recent tensions has been on a swath of eastern Ukraine seized by Russian-backed rebels in 2014, the same year Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. More than 14,000 people have been killed in the east's conflict.
Shelling across the line separating government forces and separatists, which had been sporadic in the past, increased dramatically last week.
On Sunday, a Reuters reporter heard explosions in the centre of Donetsk, in the separatist-controlled eastern Donbass region.Heavy shelling was heard in other parts of the region.
SMS messages were sent to Donetsk residents urging men to report for military duty.
More than 30,000 people from Donetsk and nearby Luhansk have crossed the Russian border in the last 24 hours, according to TASS news agency, citing Rostov region authorities. On Friday, separatists began evacuating residents, claiming that Ukraine was planning an attack, which Kyiv denied.
Western allies of Kyiv are concerned that Russia will use the escalation as a pretext for a larger conflict.
BUILDING TROOPS
The renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine follows a buildup of Russian troops to the country's north, east, and south over several weeks. The West believes that 150,000 or more Russian troops are currently stationed near Ukraine's borders.
"What we're seeing is a plan for what could be the biggest war in Europe since 1945 in terms of sheer scale," Johnson said.
With Western fears of war on the rise, US President Joe Biden was scheduled to meet with his top advisers later in the day to discuss the crisis. Despite assurances from the Kremlin that some troops were returning to their permanent bases after military exercises, Biden said on Saturday that Russia could launch an attack "at any time."
A Russian diplomat at the United Nations said no one should tell Russia where or when to conduct military exercises, and that US and UK intelligence assessments could not be trusted, citing mistakes made prior to the Iraq war.
Foreign ministers from the G7 group of wealthy nations said on Saturday that there is no evidence that Russia is reducing military activity in the region.
Russia ordered the military buildup months ago, demanding that NATO prevent Ukraine from ever joining the alliance. It claims that Western warnings that it intends to invade Ukraine are irrational and dangerous.
It has, however, threatened unspecified "military-technical" measures if demands such as a NATO withdrawal from Eastern Europe are not met.
IN THE EAST, THERE IS SHELLING
In eastern Ukraine, local military forces in one of the separatist areas, Luhansk, said on Sunday that shelling by Ukraine's military killed two civilians and damaged five buildings. The case will be investigated by Russia's Investigative Committee, according to the RIA news agency.
On Saturday, two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four were injured.
Water services had been disrupted for more than a million people in the region, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, who urged all parties to spare civilian infrastructure.
According to a statement issued by the Ukrainian military, its forces are adhering to a ceasefire agreement and "open fire exclusively when the actions of the Russian occupation forces pose a threat to the life and health of Ukrainian servicemen and civilians."
Ukraine's foreign minister, Kuleba, stated that no offensive operations were planned or carried out.
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