Russia, holding military drills near Ukraine, says ties with US 'on the floor'

Moscow has over 100,000 troops massed near Ukraine, but has repeatedly denied any plans to invade

MOSCOW:

Russia's navy held anti-submarine drills in the Black Sea on Monday as fighter jets patrolled its border with ally Belarus in the latest displays of heightened military activity close to Ukraine.

The United States on Sunday said Russia could invade Ukraine at any time and might create a surprise pretext for an attack, as it reaffirmed a pledge to defend "every inch" of NATO territory. Russia has accused the West of hysteria.

The Kremlin acknowledged that Moscow-Washington relations were "on the floor".

Russia has more than 100,000 troops massed near Ukraine, but has repeatedly denied any plans to invade. It is staging major joint military drills in Belarus, Ukraine's northern neighbour, and naval drills in the Black Sea, near the Crimean peninsula Moscow annexed from Kyiv in 2014.

Also read: Biden warns Putin of 'decisive' action if Russia invades Ukraine

Other exercises with more than 30 transport and attack helicopters engaged in tactical exercises were underway in southern Russia, while the air force simulated repelling enemy air strikes in the northern Leningrad region using S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, the military said.

Russia will also send a detachment of ships armed with cruise and supersonic missiles from its Caspian flotilla to the Black and Mediterranean Seas, the Izvestia daily cited military sources as saying.

Meanwhile, Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet crews conducted a joint patrol flight along the border between Russia and Belarus on Monday, Russia's defence ministry said.