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American patrol boats in the port of Odessa on Tuesday
Photo: Sergey Smolentsev / REUTERS
Amid tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the US has delivered two patrol boats to Kiev.
The two island-class ships reached the port of Odessa in the south of the country on board a freighter on Tuesday, according to a photographer from the AFP news agency.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said the boats are intended to ensure the "naval security" of Ukraine in the Black and Azov Seas.
NATO and Ukraine have been accusing Russia for days of stoking tensions by deploying large troops on the border with Ukraine and possibly even preparing an invasion.
The US government recently expressed "real concern."
Moscow denies any warlike intent and assigns responsibility for the situation to the West.
Arms deliveries from the West "intensified tensions," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Foreign Minister Maas worried
As early as March, Russia gathered thousands of soldiers, heavy military equipment, naval ships and military aircraft near the Ukrainian border and in the region of the annexed Crimean peninsula in a massive deployment of troops.
After weeks, Moscow finally declared the alleged maneuver over and withdrew its soldiers.
Now, according to the West, there are again massive Russian troop movements towards the border, tanks and missiles can be seen on videos.
more on the subject
Troop movements on the border with Ukraine: "These are not routine exercises" By Christian Esch
The Defense Ministry's intelligence department in Kiev announced on Tuesday that pro-Russian units had increased their combat readiness in the separatist-controlled Donbass region in eastern Ukraine and carried out large-scale maneuvers in the border area.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the latest news about Russian troop movements in the border area with Ukraine was extremely worrying.
"We want better relations with Russia - they can only get better," said the SPD politician.
However, this will require progress in eastern Ukraine.
Maas criticized that Russia had recently prevented a meeting of foreign ministers in the so-called Normandy format.
Germany, France, Russia and the Ukraine meet in this format.
It is up to Moscow to take the first steps, said Maas.
slü / AFP / Reuters