Ukraine crisis worsens: Diplomats fly out, fighter jets fly in

US, UK pull embassy staff out of Kyiv; Nato boosts east European flank even as Russia accuses West of 'hysteria'

Nato said on Monday it was putting forces on standby and reinforcing eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets, in what Russia denounced as an escalation of tensions over Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Britain said it was withdrawing some staff and dependants from its embassy in Ukraine, hours after the United States said it was ordering diplomats’ family members to leave. US diplomats were being allowed to leave voluntarily.

Welcoming a series of deployments announced by alliance members in recent days, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO would “continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all allies, including by reinforcing the eastern part of the alliance.”

The move was a further sign that the West is bracing for Russia to attack its neighbour after massing an estimated 100,000 troops within reach of the Ukrainian border, although Russia denies any intention of invading.

Having engineered the crisis by surrounding Ukraine with forces from the north, east and south, Moscow is now citing the Western response as evidence to support its narrative that Russia is the target, not the instigator, of aggression. “As for specific actions, we see statements by the North Atlantic Alliance about reinforcement, pulling forces and resources to the eastern flank. All this leads to the fact that tensions are growing," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

“This is not happening because of what we, Russia, are doing. This is all happening because of what Nato and the U.S. are doing and due to the information they are spreading.” He accused the West of “hysteria” and putting out information “laced with lies”.

The rouble hit a 14-month low against the dollar, and Russian stocks and bonds tumbled.

Russia has used its troop build-up to draw the West into discussions after presenting demands to redraw Europe's security map. It wants Nato never to admit Ukraine and to pull back troops and weapons from former Communist countries in eastern Europe that joined it after the Cold War.

Washington says those demands are non-starters but is ready to discuss other ideas on arms control, missile deployments and confidence-building measures.