KIEV: Russia on Saturday accused the West of seeking regime change in Moscow, raising tensions over the Ukraine conflict in the worst crisis in relations since the end of the Cold War.
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke out against Western sanctions on Russia after US vice-president Joe Biden hinted on Friday at possible further measures over Moscow's "unacceptable" role in the former Soviet republic. Kiev's defence minister charged on Saturday that there were 7,500 Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, although Russia denies claims that it provides military support to pro-Moscow separatists battling government forces. "The West is showing unambiguously that they do not want to force (Russia) to change policy. They want to achieve a change of regime," Lavrov said in Moscow.
"Now public figures in Western countries are saying that it's necessary to introduce sanctions that would destroy the economy and rouse public protests," he added in comments cited by the state-run TASS news agency.
In Kiev on Friday, Biden accused Russia of failing to honour a peace agreement signed in September, which included a now tattered ceasefire for eastern Ukraine. "So long as that continues, Russia will face rising costs, greater isolation,
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke out against Western sanctions on Russia after US vice-president Joe Biden hinted on Friday at possible further measures over Moscow's "unacceptable" role in the former Soviet republic. Kiev's defence minister charged on Saturday that there were 7,500 Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, although Russia denies claims that it provides military support to pro-Moscow separatists battling government forces. "The West is showing unambiguously that they do not want to force (Russia) to change policy. They want to achieve a change of regime," Lavrov said in Moscow.
"Now public figures in Western countries are saying that it's necessary to introduce sanctions that would destroy the economy and rouse public protests," he added in comments cited by the state-run TASS news agency.
In Kiev on Friday, Biden accused Russia of failing to honour a peace agreement signed in September, which included a now tattered ceasefire for eastern Ukraine. "So long as that continues, Russia will face rising costs, greater isolation,
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