SEVASTOPOL, April 14. /TASS/. Western countries led by the United States are declaring the absence of their interest in inciting a conflict around Crimea but are actually pushing Kiev towards provocations and reinforcing the Ukrainian army, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said on Wednesday.

At a meeting on regional national security in Crimea held in Sevastopol on Wednesday, Russia’s security chief pointed out that while urging Moscow not to take measures for ensuring security on the border territory, the US-led West, "is pushing Ukraine towards provocations."

"They verbally declare that they are disinterested in inciting a conflict but are in actual fact allocating funds for the Ukrainian army’s armament, building up the presence of ships in the Black Sea, planning a series of joint drills, delivering lethal weapons, training Ukrainian servicemen and intensifying reconnaissance activity in the Crimean area using aircraft and radio-electronic means," Patrushev pointed out.

"Over the past few days alone, over five military transport planes have arrived in Ukraine from American air bases," the secretary of Russia’s Security Council said.