Russia has begun air strikes against rebel positions within Syria, with the first target near the western city of Homs, US defence officials say.
Vladimir Putin has said that a war between Russia and Ukraine is “unlikely”, despite the rising tensions between the two countries over the crisis in eastern Ukraine.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) scrambled Typhoon jets to escort Russian military bombers away from UK air space on Wednesday afternoon.
Russia poses a “real and present danger” to the stability of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, the UK defence secretary has warned.
US and EU leaders have accused Russia of violating the Minsk ceasefire agreement following the “organised withdrawal” of Ukrainian troops from the embattled town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine.