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Nato's military commander in Europe has issued a warning about the build-up of Russian forces
on Ukraine's border. Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen Philip
Breedlove said Nato was in particular concerned about the threat to Moldova's Trans-Dniester
region. Russia said its forces east of Ukraine complied
with international agreements. The build-up has been linked to Russia's annexation
of Crimea from Ukraine, following the removal of Ukraine's pro-Moscow president.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia warned that the risk of war with Russia was
growing. "The problem with [Russian President Vladimir]
Putin is that he doesn't want to talk to - not only to the Ukrainian government - but also
to the Western leaders," Mr Deshchytsia told the BBC.
"And this is quite a danger for the decision-making process. We could only expect that he might
invade." Meanwhile, several parts of Crimea have been
hit by power cuts blamed on technical problems in a transmission line from the Ukrainian
mainland to the Black Sea peninsula. Crimea's power provider Krymenergo said in
a statement on its website that it was forced to implement partial power cuts after a line
run by Ukraine's national electricity company, Ukrenergo, was hit by a technical fault and
needed to be repaired. Most of Crimea's electricity, as well as its
water and food, comes from the Ukrainian mainland. 'Illegal'
In Washington US security official Tony Blinken told CNN that America was reviewing every
request Ukraine was making for help. But cautioned that even if assistance was
forthcoming, it would be "very unlikely to change Russia's calculus or prevent any invasion".
President Barack Obama earlier ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine.
Moscow formally annexed Crimea after the predominantly ethnic Russian region held a referendum which
backed joining Russia. Kiev and the West condemned the vote as "illegal".
Russian flags have now been hoisted at 189 Ukrainian military units and facilities in
Crimea, the Interfax news agency reports. Moscow's EU envoy told the BBC the "reunification"
had not been planned, but was the end of an "abnormality" which had lasted for 60 years.
Vladimir Chizhov also said said Moscow did not have any "expansionist views" and that
"nobody should fear Russia". However, Ukrainian security chief Andriy Parubiy
told a rally in Kiev: "The aim of Putin is not Crimea, but all of Ukraine. His troops
massed at the border are ready to attack at any moment."