Russia trying to provoke Ukraine's military to attack, Kyiv says

Service members of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces take part in tactical drills at a training ground in an unknown location in Ukraine, in this handout picture released February 18, 2022. Press Service of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces/Handout via REUTERS

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's top security official Oleksiy Danilov on Friday accused Russia of staging provocations in eastern Ukraine to try to goad Ukraine's military to respond, but added that Kyiv would stick to peaceful ways to defuse the crisis.

Speaking alongside him in a joint briefing, Minister for Integration of the Temporary Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk said Russia was trying to force Ukraine into making concessions and that Moscow refused to engage in peace talks.