KYIV: Ukraine's army will conduct military drills from Feb. 10 to Feb. 20 in response to Russian exercises in Belarus near the Ukrainian northern border, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said late on Monday.

Reznikov told a local TV channel, that Ukrainian soldiers were constantly holding different exercises and from Feb. 10 they would start drilling the use of Bayraktar drones and anti-tank Javelin and NLAW missiles provided by foreign partners.

US defends warnings in standoff with Russia over Ukraine

Western countries say they fear Moscow may be planning to invade Ukraine as it has amassed more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border and deployed 30,000 more in Belarus for joint drills. Russia denies such a plan saying it needs to strengthen its defence amid NATO expansion to the East.