Moscow to thwart any provocations by Kyiv in Donbas, Russian military chief warns 

The standoff in eastern Ukraine is escalating, but any provocations by the Ukrainian authorities to settle the strife in Donbas, involving the use of force, will be thwarted, Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov cautioned at a briefing for foreign military diplomats on Thursday, Report informs, with reference to TASS.
According to him, the media reports on Russia’s alleged preparation for an invasion into Ukraine is a lie: “NATO countries pay excessive attention to troop movements on Russian territory. The troop relocation in the course of combat training is routine practice for the armed forces of any state. Military activity conducted on national territory does not require any notice.”