INTERNATIONAL: Alarmed by a build-up of Russian troops near its borders, Ukraine airborne troops has held a military drill close to the capital Kyiv, the defense ministry has confirmed.

The drills have simulated the landing of airborne troops and armoured personnel carriers for an attack on an enemy target. A week earlier, Ukrainian marines have conducted drills near the borders of Russian-annexed Crimea.

The head of Ukraine's military intelligence has shared that Russia had more than 92,000 troops amassed around Ukraine's borders and was preparing for an attack by the end of January or beginning of February. Such attack would likely involve air strikes, artillery and armoured attacks followed by airborne assaults in the east, amphibious assaults in Odessa and Mariupol and a smaller incursion through neighbouring Belarus.

The Kremlin on Monday has dismissed the suggestion and made an statement that it was alarmed that Ukraine was being supplied with large quantities of weapons and building up its own forces.

Ukraine, which aspires to become a NATO member, has received a large consignment of U.S. ammunition earlier this year and Javelin anti-tank missiles, prompting criticism from Moscow, which has said it has serious security concerns about the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO one day. In the next few days Ukraine will also receive two refitted former U.S. Coast Guard patrol boats designed to beef up its navy.