Yahoo TV

Russia has started making combat readiness inspections in its southern military district, which borders Ukraine, involving more than 6,000 troops, the RIA news agency cited Russia's military as saying on Tuesday (January 25).

The Kremlin earlier said it was watching with great concern after the United States put 8,500 troops on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe in case of an escalation in the Ukraine crisis.

Tensions are high after Russia massed an estimated 100,000 troops in reach of its neighbor's border.

Russia denies planning an invasion. But having surrounded Ukraine with forces from the north, east and south, Moscow is now citing the Western response as evidence that Russia is the target, not the instigator, of aggression.