At a Security Council briefing in Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow has no intention of cutting its ties with Ukraine. He arrived in Crimea just days after he accused Kiev of attempting an armed incursion into the peninsula.

"We are not going to completely end our relationship despite the lack of willingness of the Ukrainian authorities to have full diplomatic relations at an ambassadorial level. Nevertheless, we will create opportunities for maintaining and deepening our contacts," Putin said.

Last week, Putin lashed out at Kiev over an incident on the border between Crimea and Ukraine. He accused Kiev of "practicing terror" and sending a group of what Russia called as "saboteurs" into Crimea. Two Russian officers were killed in the incident, but Ukraine denied any involvement in it. Kiev also said heavy rebel shelling killed three soldiers in Ukraine's east, where it has been battling independence-seeking insurgents since 2014. Western leaders have expressed alarm over the possibility of an escalation.