Ambassador denies invasion planned

Russia’s ambassador to New Zealand has denied his country intends to invade Ukraine and has blamed ‘‘Western military expansion’’ for escalating tensions.

Russian ambassador

Georgii Viktorovich Zuev said his country’s troop movements were not ‘‘threatening anyone’’, and he claimed the actions were a response to the United States and Nato alliance’s military manoeuvres and their intention to create a ‘‘military foothold’’ in the

Ukraine. ‘‘The prospect of Western military expansion in Ukraine poses an unacceptable risk because it could be used to deal a missile

strike on Moscow with just a few minutes flight time,’’ Zuev said. ‘‘We have nowhere to retreat. We have been taken to the point where we simply must tell them: stop!’’ Zuev said Russia proposed to resolve its concerns at the ‘‘negotiation table’’ and Ukraine’s sovereignty was indisputable.