Live | Ukraine leader urges West not to stir 'panic' over Russia tensions

Watch: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy briefs the press amid ongoing conflict with Russia

Ukraine leader urges West not to stir 'panic' over Russia tensions

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday called on the West to avoid creating "panic" in the face of a Russian troop buildup on his country's border. 

"We don't need this panic," Zelensky said at a news conference with foreign media, pointing to the need to avoid hurting Ukraine's already battered economy.

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The West has repeatedly claimed that Russia has amassed thousands of troops along the Ukraine border in recent weeks and warned of a potential invasion.

Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister: "If it depends on Russia, there will be no war. We do not want wars. But neither will we allow for our interests to be blatantly violated, for our interests to be ignored."

(FILE PHOTO: Russian service members hold drills in the Rostov region.)

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Kiev's Forces Shelled Village in LPR, One Serviceman Killed: Luhansk

After 10 days of silence, Ukrainian security forces fired at the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), killing a member of the people's militia, LPR military spokesman Alexander Mazeikin told reporters on Thursday.

"Today, Kiev militants from the positions of the 30th brigade [of the Ukrainian Armed Forces] in the area of ​​​​the settlement of Troits'ke opened fire from heavy anti-tank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns in the direction of the village of Veselohorivka," the spokesman said.

He added that a serviceman of the People's Militia of the LPR was killed as a result of the shelling.

The LPR people's militia returned fire at the positions of Ukrainian security forces after the death of the serviceman, Mazeikin added.

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Pictures: What are NATO's next steps if Russia invades Ukraine?

NATO allies are putting forces on standby and sending reinforcements to eastern Europe in response to Russia's buildup of more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders.

Here are some of the dilemmas about NATO's next steps.

Russia expects Normandy four meeting to settle situation in Ukraine: Foreign ministry

Russia expects a meeting of Normandy Four political advisers in Berlin to find solutions to the conflict resolution in Ukraine, the deputy director of the Russian foreign ministry's Information and Press Department Alexey Zaytsev, said on Thursday.

"We hope that during the next meeting scheduled in Berlin in two weeks, we will be able to find solutions to the problems that have accumulated over seven years. And the status of Donbas issue will break the ice," Zaytsev told reporters.

NATO intention to send additional forces complicates situation: Russian Foreign Ministry

NATO intention to send additional forces to the Eastern flank creates a negative atmosphere in negotiations on security guarantees, the deputy director of the Russian foreign ministry's Information and Press Department, Alexey Zaytsev, said on Thursday.

"Such statements by the NATO secretary general create a negative atmosphere in negotiations on security guarantees. It confirms that it has become a common alliance's practice to strengthen the negotiating position with military capabilities," Zaytsev told reporters.

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'Every indication' Putin plans force by mid-February: US

The United States believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin remains poised to use force against Ukraine by mid-February despite a pressure campaign to stop him, a top diplomat said Wednesday.

"I have no idea whether he's made the ultimate decision, but we certainly see every indication that he is going to use military force sometime perhaps (between) now and the middle of February," Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told a forum.

Putin addresses Italian firms despite Ukraine tensions 

Russian President Vladimir Putin spent more than two hours Wednesday in a virtual meeting with top Italian executives, despite Rome's opposition due to escalating tensions over Ukraine.

The event organised by the Italian-Russian Chamber of Commerce included energy giant Enel, insurer Generali and tyre manufacturer Pirelli. Energy firm Eni told AFP it had decided Tuesday to withdraw.

According to Russian news agencies, Putin hailed Italy as one of Moscow's "main economic partners" -- and amid worries over soaring gas prices, said Russia was a "reliable supplier".

The meeting had been planned in November by the chamber of commerce, which seeks to boost business and investment ties between the eurozone's third-largest economy and Russia.

Lavrov on new possible sanctions: Russia ready for any development of situation

Russia is ready for any developments of the situation, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday when commenting on the threat of new Western sanctions over Ukraine.

"We are ready for any development of the situation. We did not attack anyone, they always attacked us, and those who did it always got what they deserved," Lavrov told lawmakers.

Russia warns against 'destructive' sanctions on Putin 

Russia hit back Wednesday at US threats of direct sanctions against President Vladimir Putin, saying moves against the Russian leader would be ineffective and hurt efforts to lower tensions over Ukraine.

Officials from France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine were set for talks in Paris on Wednesday in the latest bid to ease a crisis sparked by fears that Moscow is preparing an invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.

The West has warned Russia of severe consequences if it does invade, and on Tuesday, Washington said there could be sanctions personally targeting Putin.

Reacting to the news, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the threats as worthless because senior Russian officials are barred from holding assets abroad.

But such a move, he said, would do serious damage to diplomatic efforts to ease ratcheting tensions over Ukraine.

US negotiating with global suppliers to secure gas for Europe if Russia invades Ukraine: Report

Even as tensions are brewing between US and Russia over the Ukraine crisis, it is being reported that President Joe Biden is in talks with natural gas suppliers around the globe should Russia cut off energy supplies to Europe as a consequence of the conflict.

US officials on Tuesday said that they had been negotiating with global suppliers for additional volumes of non-Russian fuel.

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Russia sends more fighter planes for drills in Belarus

In what can add to the already high tensions in Europe, Russia has sent additional fighter jets for military drills. Russian Ministry of Defence released a video on Wednesday (January 26). Russia's Su-35 fighter jets have relocated to Belarusian airfields. This manoeuvre has come as Ukraine crisis shows no signs of dying down.

The Interfax news agency said on Friday, that Russia has send two battalions of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to Belarus.

Russia holds military drills before four-way Ukraine talks in Paris

Russia has held military drills and deployed more forces and fighter jets to Belarus for exercises next month as officials prepared to sit down for four-way talks in Paris on the conflict in east Ukraine.

Russian artillery forces in the southern Rostov region that borders Ukraine were set to practice firing later on Wednesday as part of a combat readiness inspection of the Southern Military District, the Defence Ministry said.

In the far north, Russian warships entered the Barents Sea to practice protecting a major shipping lane in the Arctic, the Northern Fleet said. Moscow announced sweeping naval exercises last week.

Interfax news agency quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying it deployed a paratrooper unit to Belarus on Wednesday, a day after moving in artillery forces and marines ahead of joint exercises next month. 

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Russian and UK defence ministers to meet over Ukraine 

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has accepted an invitation to meet his British counterpart Ben Wallace to discuss the crisis on the Russia-Ukraine border, a senior UK defence source said Saturday.

"The Defence Secretary is glad that Russia has accepted the invitation to talk with his counterpart," the source said.

"Given the last defence bilateral between our two countries took place in London in 2013, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has offered to meet in Moscow instead," added the source.

"The Secretary of State has been clear that he will explore all avenues to achieve stability and a resolution to the Ukraine crisis."