Russia military chief warns Ukraine against attacking rebels

By DASHA LITVINOVA and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s top military officer has sternly warned Ukraine against trying to reclaim control over separatist areas by force. He said Thursday that Moscow will “suppress” any such attempt. Thursday’s statement comes amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near the border with Ukraine that stoked Ukrainian and Western fears of a possible invasion. U.S. President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in a video call Tuesday that the West will impose unprecedented economic sanctions on Moscow if it invades Ukraine. Russia rejects claims it’s plotting an attack. Meanwhile, Russia’s Federal Security Service said a Ukrainian navy ship is heading toward a strait between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, ignoring Russian coast guard signals.