KYIV: Ukraine's armed forces on Saturday said joint military drills with NATO troops would begin in a few months' time, a step that could stoke tensions with Moscow which has expressed its opposition to such a move.

NATO voiced concern on Thursday over what it said was a big Russian military build-up near eastern Ukraine after Russia warned that a serious escalation in the conflict in Ukraine's Donbass region could "destroy" Ukraine.

The Kremlin on Friday said that any deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine would lead to further tensions near Russia's borders and force Moscow to take extra measures to ensure its own security.