Putin and Lavrov spoke; Russia ready to shoot; Greeks are leaving Ukraine

Putin and Lavrov spoke; Russia ready to shoot; Greeks are leaving Ukraine

Tensions have been rising for weeks, with Washington warning that it fears an imminent invasion and that more than 100,000 Russian troops are near the Ukrainian border.

Numerous countries have sent invitations to their citizens to leave Ukraine. Now Serbia has done the same. "We recommend that the citizens of the Republic of Serbia who are planning a trip to Ukraine consider postponing the trip," it was published on the ICJ website.

Putin: NATO's expansion to the east is endless and dangerous

NATO's expansion to the east at the expense of post-Soviet republics, including Ukraine, is endless and very dangerous, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

At the beginning of the conversation with Lavrov, Putin said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should present its views on the answers that Russia received to the proposals sent to the American colleagues in Washington and colleagues from the North Atlantic Alliance in Brussels.

"I know that such an analysis was done, you also worked with colleagues from other departments and ministries, and, of course, I would like to hear your analysis and your suggestions regarding the reaction to the answers received from Washington and Brussels," the head of state added.

Russia is ready to shoot at a ship that enters its waters illegally

Russia is ready to open fire on foreign ships and submarines that enter its territorial waters illegally, a high-ranking Russian military official said today, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

However, such a decision would be made only at the "highest level", the official added, Reuters reports.

Greeks are leaving Ukraine

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a recommendation to Greek citizens who are in Ukraine to leave that country immediately.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly discourages all travel throughout the territory of Ukraine, and at the same time recommends Greek citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately," the Greek ministry said in a statement. It was also announced that the staff of the Greek embassy in Kiev has been reduced to the extent considered necessary, but that the number of employees at the Consulate General in Mariupol will be increased.

Meanwhile, the United States and about 20 other countries, including Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Croatia and Bulgaria, have called on their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately amid escalating tensions between official Kiev and Moscow.