On Saturday, Russia's strategic nuclear forces conducted drills under the supervision of President Vladimir Putin, as the US accused Russian troops massed near Ukraine's border of advancing forward and being “poised to strike."
In the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated his country was a "shield" against Russia and deserved stronger help in the face of a possible Russian invasion.
In a speech at a security conference in Munich, Zelensky condemned “a policy of appeasement” towards Moscow.
“For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world,” said Zelensky, who travelled to Munich despite shelling in his country’s conflict-torn east, that left two Ukrainian soldiers dead.
He demanded “clear, feasible timeframes” for Ukraine to join the US-led Nato military alliance — a prospect that Moscow has said would be a red line for its security.
He did say, though, that he was willing to meet with Vladimir Putin to learn "what the Russian president wants."
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russian soldiers were beginning to "uncoil and move closer" to the border, and the US was unambiguous in its view. "We hope he (Putin) steps back from the brink of conflict," Austin said at a news conference in Lithuania, adding that an invasion of Ukraine was not a foregone conclusion.
"National borders should not be changed by force," US Vice President Kamala Harris said.
“We have prepared economic measures that will be swift, severe, and united,” she said while talking about the consequences of an invasion.
“We will target Russia’s financial institutions and key industries,” she said.
France and Germany encouraged all or part of their citizens in Ukraine to leave as Kyiv and Moscow swapped accusations over new incidents of shelling near the border.
During the strategic nuclear forces' military drills, Russia successfully test-fired nuclear-capable hypersonic and cruise missiles at sea, according to the Kremlin.
Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko watched the drills on screens from a'situation centre,' according to the Kremlin.
On Friday, US Vice President Joe Biden stated that he believes Putin will invade in the next days, and Austin stated that the drills are causing global anxiety.
The drills come after four months of maneuvering by Russia's armed forces, which included a build-up of troops — believed by the West to number 150,000 or more — in Ukraine's north, east, and south.
According to US-based Maxar Technologies, which uses satellite images to follow changes, new helicopters and a battle group deployment comprising tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and support equipment have been deployed in Russia near the border.
Separatist commanders in eastern Ukraine have proclaimed full military mobilisation after ordering women and children to flee to Russia, citing a danger of an impending attack by Ukrainian forces, which Kyiv has rejected.
The mobilisation, evacuation, and intensified shelling across the ceasefire line this week, according to Kyiv and Western officials, are all part of a Russian effort to build a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.
Two shells fell on Russian soil near the border, according to Russia's FSB security service, according to Russia's Tass news agency. One struck a structure in the Rostov region, but no one was injured, according to the report.
Ukraine's military accused Russia of fabricating shell images to make it appear as if they were Ukrainian, and said that mercenaries had come in separatist-held eastern Ukraine to orchestrate provocations in coordination with Russia's special services.
As passengers boarded buses to escape the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, explosions were heard, according to a witness.
“It’s really scary. I’ve taken everything I could carry,” said Tatyana, 30, who was boarding a bus with her four-year-old daughter.
So far, 10,000 evacuees have arrived in Russia, according to Russian news media. According to separatist leaders, 700,000 people will be evacuated.
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