MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. The West’s claims of Russia’s alleged preparations for an invasion of Ukraine serve as an information cover-up in order to plot its own provocations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"Western and Ukrainian media outlets and officials have been increasingly engaged in rumors of Russia’s pending invasion of Ukraine. This is how they formulate it. We are certain that this crusade is aimed at creating an information cover-up for preparing their own large-scale provocations, including those of a military nature, that may have the most tragic consequences for regional and global security," the spokeswoman explained.

Moscow’s fears are confirmed by the West’s genuine inflammatory acts, the diplomat stressed.

"Britain has been delivering weapons along its Air Force military transport planes to Ukraine for several days now. At least six flights have been arranged and each plane can carry up to 77.5 tonnes of cargo on its board, that is, around 460 tonnes of armaments in total," the spokeswoman pointed out.

It has also been reported that portable ant-tank missile systems will be delivered to Kiev for employing them in urban warfare, the Russian diplomat added, stressing that Western instructors were training Ukrainian military personnel at the Yavorovsky training ground in Ukraine’s western Lvov Region for conducting this type of combat operations.

US military aid

Canada has already sent over 200 special operations forces to Ukraine under the pretext of protecting its embassy and evacuating its diplomats in the event of an emergency, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

However, it is the United States that is providing the bulk of military assistance to Ukraine, Zakharova stressed.

"In the past few months alone, Washington has delivered 30 Javelin anti-tank missile systems and 180 missiles to Ukraine," she emphasized.

Moreover, it was earlier reported that the next delivery of armaments worth $20 million was expected in January, the Russian diplomat pointed out.

"Ukraine perceives this aid as its carte-blanche for a military operation in Donbass," she maintained.

"We urge Western countries to halt the hostile anti-Russian media crusade, [stop] abetting Ukraine’s militarization by dragging it into NATO and instead channel all efforts into prompting the Kiev regime to honor the Minsk Accords and other international commitments," the spokeswoman stated.