Russia could break diplomatic ties with Ukraine, PM Dmitry Medvedev says

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 following a hastily called referendum, and a conflict between Russia-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces flared up in eastern Ukraine weeks later.

Despite that and the conflict in the east, which has killed more than 9,500 people, Kiev and Moscow didn’t break diplomatic ties.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin earlier this week also spoke of that possibility but said Kiev wouldn’t want that because it would mean abandoning 4 million Ukrainians who live and work in Russia.

Medvedev’s announcement comes after Ukraine put its troops on combat alert Thursday along the country’s de-facto borders with Crimea, amid an escalating war of words with Russia over Crimea.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier appealed to Russia and Ukraine to avoid a further escalation in tensions after Moscow accused Kiev of sending “saboteurs” to conduct attacks in annexed Crimea.

He said in comments published by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that Germany is in contact with both countries, and he plans to speak with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov during a previously planned visit to Russia on Monday.