Russian warplanes have been practising low-level attacks on shipping off occupied Crimea, heightening fears of an amphibious assault on southern Ukraine.
Troops were seen landing in an amphibious boat at Crimea’s Opuk range as part of exercises that Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed involved over 60 ships, around 200 aircraft, about 1,200 military vehicles and more than 10,000 troops.
Fighter jets covered an airborne operation involving more than 50 warplanes, which Russian officials said centred around planes supporting warships striking enemy vessels.
Sergei Shoigu, Defence Minister under Russian president Vladimir Putin, flew in a helicopter over Opuk to oversee the manoeuvres.
They were described as the largest since Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and threw its weight behind separatist insurgents in eastern Ukraine.
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It came amid fears of an invasion after more than 115,000 Russian troops massed near Ukraine’s border.
More troops were believed to have arrived today, as the exercises continued throughout the day.
Mr Shoigu said they would be withdrawn by May 1.
He said: “I believe the objectives of the snap inspection have been fully achieved.
"The troops have demonstrated their ability to provide a credible defence for the country.”
But he warned that his troops would be ready to respond quickly to NATO military exercises in the region.
Meanwhile radar equipment is still rolling towards the border across Russia.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has warned Russia’s border presence is “expected to reach a combined force of over 120,000 troops” in days.
But Moscow has rejected Ukrainian and Western concerns over the build-up, saying it is free to deploy its forces anywhere on Russian territory.
The Kremlin also warned Ukraine against trying to use force to retake control of the rebel east.
Concerns have been raised in the West amid increasing violations of a ceasefire in east Ukraine.
In seven years of fighting, over 14,000 people have been killed, with Russia claiming it may be forced to intervene to protect civilians.
Russia said last week it would close broad areas of the Black Sea near Crimea to foreign navy ships and state vessels to November, raising Western concerns and Ukrainian protests.
Invasion fears rise as war radar moves from Siberia
USSIA has been spotted moving a mobile Kasta 2E2 military radar system towards Ukraine, stoking fears of an imminent invasion.
The hi-tech system, used to track attacking aircraft, is being shipped by train 4,600 miles from the TransBaikal region of Siberia to Crimea. It should arrive in 10 days time.
Ukraine responded by changing laws in order to rush reservists into action.
Videos also showed Ukraine moving BM-21 Grad 122 mm truck-mounted rocket launchers and other wheeled hardware in Odesa.
Russia has given passports to more than half a million people in east Ukraine, giving Mr Putin an excuse to invade to “protect” his citizens.
