Ukraine crises: Russia has troops stationed in Belarus amid Ukraine concerns

Russian Vladimir Putin, the Russian president Vladimir Putin and his ally Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko have extended military drills that were supposed to come to an end at the end of Sunday.

Belarus stated its "deterioration of the situation" in the east of Ukraine as one of the reasons for keeping around 30000 Russian troops in the territory.

The move could increase the fear that Russia has plans to invade Ukraine as it has a long border with Belarus.

Western leaders have been accused by western leaders of Moscow of using a false excuse to deploy troops.

Russia has repeatedly denied that it is planning to attack its neighbor. The Russian government has yet to confirm the Belarus defense ministry's statement.

Explosions could be heard in the eastern Ukrainian conflict zone throughout the night, and into Sunday.

The sound of explosions could be heard from the city of separatists Donetsk as both sides stated they had been hit by intense shellfire.

A senior EU official was asked whether Moscow was no more attracted to diplomacy.

"The big question remains: does the Kremlin want dialogue?" European Council President Charles Michel asked during the Munich Security Conference.

"We cannot forever offer an olive branch while Russia conducts missile tests and continues to amass troops."

Putin Putin called the French colleague, Emmanuel Macron, by phone on Sunday. and then Macron called him back. French president phoned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

According to an US estimation, Russia has mustered up to 190,000 troops, including separatists from areas like Donetsk as well as Luhansk regions.

The Russian president Putin has been requesting assurances that Nato will not accept Ukraine as which was a former Soviet state that has close ties with Russia and Nato Western alliance denies that it is a risk to Russia.

There is a possibility that an Russian military intervention might spark an unbloody conflict that is more bloody than the one in the eastern Ukraine that has claimed around 14,000 people their lives.

The sound of explosions was heard from Donetsk early on Sunday, the separatists of Luhansk have accused the government of breaking the front line in order to launch an attack that resulted in the death of two people.

The evidence was not provided for the allegations, however Russian investigators launched an investigation. It was not clear on the lawful basis Russian investigation was based on however Russia has granted citizenship to at least 720,000 persons in the territories of rebels.

The government forces and the separatists claimed that they had violated the ceasefire numerous times on Sunday. On Saturday, international monitors announced that ceasefire violations have been increasing dramatically over the last week.

Citizens from all walks of life are exiled from separatist areas to Russia and combatants of old age are being mobilized to fight.

In the midst of preparing to depart Donetsk to go to Russia by bus along with her daughter of four years the evacuee gave the name of Tatyana spoke to Reuters media agency that: "It's really scary. I've taken everything I could carry."

Separatist leaders claim that the government is planning an offensive to take back control over the territories the government has denied earlier by the director of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) security monitor.