Russia's ambassador to Australia has used a rare press conference to accuse the federal government of "fanning hysteria" about a possible invasion of Ukraine, saying the large build-up of Russian troops on the border is not a "threat" but a "warning" to Kyiv.
The comments follow Australia joining the United States and Europe in urging Moscow to withdraw more than 120,000 troops massing on the border.
The Biden administration has warned Russia it will face massive consequences if it launches an invasion.
But Alexey Pavlovsky played down the prospect of war, saying Russia had been moving troops to the region for months rather than moving speedily, which he argued was a "funny way to prepare an invasion".
He insisted that the massive show of force could not be described as a "threat" or as an act of "aggression".
"No aggression — please take note of this when you write [your] reports — [there's] no aggression," he told reporters in Canberra.
Dr Pavlovsky said Russia remained worried that Ukrainian forces might launch fresh attacks on pro-Russian militias in separatist-held regions in the country's east.
"We cannot afford ethnic cleansing just across the border," he said.
"Our troops are not a threat.
'Fanning hysteria' from the other side of the world
Dr Pavlovsky also warned that the West's support for Ukraine could "embolden" the country to "sabotage" the Minsk Agreements to give more autonomy to some Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine.
The agreements were struck seven years ago. However, negotiations have been bogged down for years.
"We support the Minsk's arrangements. We want them implemented. We want a special status for these regions inside Ukraine," Dr Pavlovsky said.
"It has been sabotaged for years by the Kyiv government, and when the Western countries are expressing their support either verbally or in material terms by sending arms to Ukraine, they are emboldened here to continue their line of sabotage."
And he heaped scorn on the government's decision to withdraw the family members of Australian diplomats in Kyiv, calling the decision "regrettable" because it "does contribute to elevating tensions".
"We are very concerned when people who are thousands of miles away are fanning hysteria," he said.
Dr Pavlovsky took aim at broader criticism of Russia's actions within Australia, saying journalists and politicians were captivated by "comic-style propaganda of liberal democracies versus autocracies".
He also criticised Defence Minister Peter Dutton's comment that Russian President Vladimir Putin was a "dictator" who was becoming "more and more irrational" as he aged.
"If such is the level of analysis then it is definitely a worrying sign," Dr Pavlovsky said.
He also dismissed the prospect of Australia and other Western countries heaping more sanctions on Russia, declaring: "It should be crystal clear … they don't work."
"More than that, they damage the economies and companies and countries that impose sanctions. A little bit of a high price just to make a gesture."
