MOSCOW, Jan 24 — The Kremlin accused the United States and its allies on Monday of escalating East-West tensions by announcing plans to boost Nato forces in Eastern Europe and evacuate the families of diplomats from the US embassy in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the probability of military conflict in eastern Ukraine being initiated by the Ukrainian side was higher than ever.

Peskov said Ukraine has deployed a large number of troops near the borders of breakaway regions controlled by pro-Russian separatists which he said indicated that Kyiv was preparing to attack them. Ukraine has repeatedly denied this.

Peskov said information coming from the West was filled with "hysteria” and "laced with lies”.

Nato said earlier it was putting forces on standby and reinforcing eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets in response to Russia’s military build-up at Ukraine’s borders.

The move added to a flurry of signals that the West is bracing for an aggressive Russian move against Ukraine, though Moscow denies any plan to invade. — Reuters