JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia and Ukraine both step up military alert with combat drills” – Reuters
“Russia staged military drills in the Black Sea, south of Ukraine, … and said it needed to sharpen the combat-readiness of its conventional and nuclear forces because of heightened NATO activity near its borders. Ukraine, which with its ally the United States has said it believes Russia may be preparing an invasion, staged exercises of its own near the border with Belarus. … [Increased] military activity on both sides follows weeks of rising tension … Russia denies aggressive intent and Western intelligence sources have told Reuters they do not see any invasion as imminent. …”