Russia denies looking for pretext to invade Ukraine

A Russian tank fires as troops take part in drills at the Kadamovskiy firing range in the Rostov region in southern Russia (AP)

Russia’s top diplomat has angrily rejected US allegations that it was preparing a pretext to invade Ukraine as Russian troops have remained concentrated near the border.

The White House said on Friday that US intelligence officials had concluded that Russia had already deployed operatives to rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine to carry out acts of sabotage there and blame them on Ukraine in a “false-flag operation” to create a pretext for possible invasion.