Russia has submitted draft documents outlining security arrangements it wants to negotiate with the United States and its NATO allies amid spiraling tensions over Ukraine.

Russia hands draft security pact to US, expects talks

Amid the ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he was ready for any format of talks with Russia but would like to see a strong western sanctions policy against Moscow to avoid further escalation.

Ukraine President Zelensky says it is ready for talks with Russia but favours sanctions

The Russian president Vladimir Putin's apparent obsession with Ukraine has brought in a new cold war-like situation. Russia's increasing military buildup along the Ukrainian border and also the latter's repeated warning of a possible retaliation have triggered fears of possible full-fledged conflict.

Vladimir Putin's Ukraine obsession escalates conflict

Tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine over the military buildup near the border, NATO Chief has issued a stern warning to Russia over its military aggression towards its neighbor.

Tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine

Ukraine: Army ready to repel any attack by Russia

After holding a massive military drill in Crimea Russia has ordered its top army command to began the returning troops to their permanent bases, saying it had successfully completed a "snap inspection"of forces in its south and west, near the border with Ukraine.

Russia orders top command to begin returning to bases after drills in Crimea

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the reduction of Russian troops that were running drills near his country's border, saying the move "reduces tensions".

Ukraine welcomes drawdown of Russian troops from border

The border situation in Russia-Ukraine could turn into a full-blown war any moment.

Russians have deployed tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine, and the US says Russia's military buildup is bigger than in 2014.

It was then when Russia had annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-russia-is-massing-120000-troops-along-the-ukraine-border-379129/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for talks.

But the Russian president is in no mood for a compromise.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraines-president-zelenskiy-asks-putin-to-meet-him-for-peace-talks-in-conflict-zone-378900">Ukraine's President Zelenskiy asks Putin to meet him for peace talks in conflict zone</a>

There are satellite images that show the Russian military activity in Crimea.

They show how Russia is stepping up its deployments near Ukraine with aircraft, vehicles at airbases and training areas.

Ukraine assesses that Russia will soon have more than 120,000 troops on the border.

Left with no options, Zelensky sent a message from Kiev to Moscow, inviting Putin for talks.&nbsp;

But, it doesn't look like Moscow wants a dialogue.

Tensions escalated this week when Russia carried out more military exercises in the Black Sea.

Reports say the Russians are planning to block parts of these waters, a move that could impact access to Ukrainian ports.

Those living near the borders are afraid and many people have begun to leave their homes.

People who are still around fear that war could soon break out.

For the US, Russia still remains the aggressor.

Ukraine's other ally, the European Union, believes it would take just a spark to set off a confrontation.

An assessment that was validated by Putin himself.

The Russian president used his annual state of the union speech to deliver a warning to the West.

The Russian military build-up has been going on for weeks now, but what's motivating Moscow's aggression still remains unclear.

Either Russia is posturing&nbsp;by putting pressure on Kiev, or this is a serious bid to launch an offensive against Ukraine, a former state of the erstwhile Soviet Union.

Either way, it is another test for US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>.

The border situation in Russia-Ukraine could turn into a full-blown war any moment. Russians have deployed tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine, and the US says Russia's military buildup is bigger than in 2014.

The border situation in Russia-Ukraine could turn into a full-blown war any moment. Russians have deployed tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine, and the US says Russia's military buildup is bigger than in 2014. It was then when Russia had annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for talks. But the Russian president is in no mood for a compromise. Also read | Ukraine's President Zelenskiy asks Putin to meet him for peace talks in conflict zone There are satellite images that show the Russian military activity in Crimea. They show how Russia is stepping up its deployments near Ukraine with aircraft, vehicles at airbases and training areas. Ukraine assesses that Russia will soon have more than 120,000 troops on the border. Left with no options, Zelensky sent a message from Kiev to Moscow, inviting Putin for talks. But, it doesn't look like Moscow wants a dialogue. Tensions escalated this week when Russia carried out more military exercises in the Black Sea. Reports say the Russians are planning to block parts of these waters, a move that could impact access to Ukrainian ports. Those living near the borders are afraid and many people have begun to leave their homes. People who are still around fear that war could soon break out. For the US, Russia still remains the aggressor. Ukraine's other ally, the European Union, believes it would take just a spark to set off a confrontation. An assessment that was validated by Putin himself. The Russian president used his annual state of the union speech to deliver a warning to the West. The Russian military build-up has been going on for weeks now, but what's motivating Moscow's aggression still remains unclear. Either Russia is posturing by putting pressure on Kiev, or this is a serious bid to launch an offensive against Ukraine, a former state of the erstwhile Soviet Union. Either way, it is another test for US President Joe Biden.

As Ukraine-Russia crisis worsens, threat of war looms

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday said that the country will withdraw troops from military drills near Ukraine.&nbsp;

"I believe that the goals of snap checks have been reached," Shoigu said during exercises in Russia-annexed Crimea, as quoted by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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He also added that he asked the troops involved in the exercise to start returning to "permanent bases" the following day.&nbsp;

Earlier, Shoigu via a helicopter oversaw the number of security personnel and equipment deployed in Crimea on Thursday.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-to-allies-west-must-act-now-to-ensure-no-new-russia-military-offensive-379190">Ukraine to allies: West must act now to ensure no new Russia military offensive</a>

He also checked the readiness of the naval and ground troops, a news agency Reuters report said.&nbsp;

Interfax news agency reported that the drills involved over 10,000 soldiers and more than 40 warships.

The drills come amid the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine's Western allies, who have expressed concerns about a build-up of Russian forces on the border and military exercises in Crimea.

Russian news agency last week reported mentioning the defence ministry that Kremlin aims to close parts of the Black Sea to foreign military official ships for six months from Saturday.

Ukraine's foreign minister earlier on Thursday asked Western partners to impose new sanctions on Kremlin, including removing the country from the global SWIFT bank payments system. &nbsp;

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday said that the country will withdraw troops from military drills near Ukraine. "I believe that the goals of snap checks have been reached," Shoigu said during exercises in Russia-annexed Crimea, as quoted by news agency AFP.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday said that the country will withdraw troops from military drills near Ukraine. "I believe that the goals of snap checks have been reached," Shoigu said during exercises in Russia-annexed Crimea, as quoted by news agency AFP. Watch | He also added that he asked the troops involved in the exercise to start returning to "permanent bases" the following day. Earlier, Shoigu via a helicopter oversaw the number of security personnel and equipment deployed in Crimea on Thursday. Also read | Ukraine to allies: West must act now to ensure no new Russia military offensive He also checked the readiness of the naval and ground troops, a news agency Reuters report said. Interfax news agency reported that the drills involved over 10,000 soldiers and more than 40 warships. The drills come amid the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine's Western allies, who have expressed concerns about a build-up of Russian forces on the border and military exercises in Crimea. Russian news agency last week reported mentioning the defence ministry that Kremlin aims to close parts of the Black Sea to foreign military official ships for six months from Saturday. Ukraine's foreign minister earlier on Thursday asked Western partners to impose new sanctions on Kremlin, including removing the country from the global SWIFT bank payments system.

Russia to withdraw troops from military drills in Crimea

NATO has warned Russia against military build up near the Ukrainian border as the alliance's Chief Jens Stoltenberg and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Ukrainian delegations in Brussels.

NATO warned Russia against military build up near Ukrainian border

NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to pull back troops from Ukraine’s border. He also said that NATO allies fully support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity

NATO Chief: Russia must de-escalate immediately from Ukraine's border

Is a war inevitable between Russia & Ukraine? The situation has become quite precarious, but both sides deny stoking up tensions. What's the reality on ground? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: The Russia-Ukraine conflict explained

Moscow has accused the United States and other NATO countries of turning Ukraine into a "powder keg ". Russia also added that countries are increasing their arms supplies to Ukraine.

Moscow accuses US, NATO nations of turning Ukraine into 'powder keg'

The recent tensions between Russia and Ukraine near the Crimean peninsula has hit a number of industries there. One major victim of rising disturbances across the Black Sea is the tourism industry.

George is one of very few English speaking people in Crimea. He is a guide and had learnt English for this profession, but now his language skill is getting wasted.

While rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia have kept foreign tourists away, the winter season is also leading to less domestic tourists now venturing out for leisure or travel.

"Politics is bad in every country. It is bad in India, it is bad in Crimea also," said George.

Crimea has been witnessing a steady fall in number of tourists visiting the peninsula since its annexation by Russia in 2014. Moscow claims 5.5 million tourists visited Crimea in 2016 as compared to 6.1 million in 2012 when Ukraine controlled the peninsula, though the numbers are contested by the Ukrainian government. The latest stand-off has further led to decline in the number of foreign tourists, however, Russia maintains that the number is rising.

Apart from Black Sea beaches and mountains, Crimea is famous for its palaces including this Livadia Palace in Yalta. This summer palace was designed in the Italian style and ended up being the last residence built for the Russian imperial family, the Romanovs. In 1861, Tsar Alexander II bought land in Livadia and had the grand palace built there as a gift to his wife. It was the site of many significant events, such as the Yalta Conference, where leaders of the allied forces met in 1945.

The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is also very popular among tourists. It is a historic palace situated at the foot of the Crimean mountains near the town of Alupka. The Vorontsov Palace is one of the oldest and largest palaces in Crimea and is one of the most popular tourist attractions on Crimea's southern coast. Also, Hitler wanted this palace for himself during the Second World War so the German army didn't touch the palace during their assault.

But visiting these places is not easy, especially for foreign tourists as foreign-registered SIM cards don't work in Crimea. The economy works only on cash as foreign cards are not accepted by machines. There is also the ban imposed by Kiev on foreigners entering Crimea through its border with Ukraine and the sanction imposed by the European Union which bans importing goods from Crimea and prohibits EU members to invest there or provide tourism services.

Till the time the tensions between Ukraine and Russia die down and these the logistic problems for foreign tourists are solved, getting back the days of the sun shining bright on tourism industry in Crimea will remain a dream.

The recent tensions between Russia and Ukraine near the Crimean peninsula has hit a number of industries there. One major victim of rising disturbances across the Black Sea is the tourism industry.

The recent tensions between Russia and Ukraine near the Crimean peninsula has hit a number of industries there. One major victim of rising disturbances across the Black Sea is the tourism industry. George is one of very few English speaking people in Crimea. He is a guide and had learnt English for this profession, but now his language skill is getting wasted. While rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia have kept foreign tourists away, the winter season is also leading to less domestic tourists now venturing out for leisure or travel. "Politics is bad in every country. It is bad in India, it is bad in Crimea also," said George. Crimea has been witnessing a steady fall in number of tourists visiting the peninsula since its annexation by Russia in 2014. Moscow claims 5.5 million tourists visited Crimea in 2016 as compared to 6.1 million in 2012 when Ukraine controlled the peninsula, though the numbers are contested by the Ukrainian government. The latest stand-off has further led to decline in the number of foreign tourists, however, Russia maintains that the number is rising. Apart from Black Sea beaches and mountains, Crimea is famous for its palaces including this Livadia Palace in Yalta. This summer palace was designed in the Italian style and ended up being the last residence built for the Russian imperial family, the Romanovs. In 1861, Tsar Alexander II bought land in Livadia and had the grand palace built there as a gift to his wife. It was the site of many significant events, such as the Yalta Conference, where leaders of the allied forces met in 1945. The Vorontsov Palace in Alupka is also very popular among tourists. It is a historic palace situated at the foot of the Crimean mountains near the town of Alupka. The Vorontsov Palace is one of the oldest and largest palaces in Crimea and is one of the most popular tourist attractions on Crimea's southern coast. Also, Hitler wanted this palace for himself during the Second World War so the German army didn't touch the palace during their assault. But visiting these places is not easy, especially for foreign tourists as foreign-registered SIM cards don't work in Crimea. The economy works only on cash as foreign cards are not accepted by machines. There is also the ban imposed by Kiev on foreigners entering Crimea through its border with Ukraine and the sanction imposed by the European Union which bans importing goods from Crimea and prohibits EU members to invest there or provide tourism services. Till the time the tensions between Ukraine and Russia die down and these the logistic problems for foreign tourists are solved, getting back the days of the sun shining bright on tourism industry in Crimea will remain a dream.

Rising tension between Russia and Ukraine keeps tourists away from Crimea

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says security problems are undermining peace efforts in eastern Ukraine, as a routinely violated cease-fire barely holds in the separatist Donbass region.

Opening talks between NATO and Ukraine foreign ministers today, Stoltenberg said the security situation &quot;remains serious&quot; and &quot;hinders progress toward a political settlement.&quot; Stoltenberg says the cease-fire in Ukraine is being violated daily.

He said heavy weapons have not been withdrawn from the conflict zone as required by the Minsk peace agreement. A meeting last week of foreign ministers from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany intended to shore up the shaky peace process ended without result.

Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the lack of progress in settling a conflict that has killed more than 9,600 people since April 2014.

(PTI) 
&nbsp;

Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the lack of progress in settling the conflict in Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says security problems are undermining peace efforts in eastern Ukraine, as a routinely violated cease-fire barely holds in the separatist Donbass region. Opening talks between NATO and Ukraine foreign ministers today, Stoltenberg said the security situation "remains serious" and "hinders progress toward a political settlement." Stoltenberg says the cease-fire in Ukraine is being violated daily. He said heavy weapons have not been withdrawn from the conflict zone as required by the Minsk peace agreement. A meeting last week of foreign ministers from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany intended to shore up the shaky peace process ended without result. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the lack of progress in settling a conflict that has killed more than 9,600 people since April 2014. (PTI)

NATO chief laments 'serious' security problems in Ukraine