MOSCOW- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops in central Russia on “full combat alert,” the defence minister said on Saturday, a day after the Kremlin confirmed it was beefing up its military presence at the border with Ukraine.

Russian President,Vladimir Putin battle ready

“In accordance with his (Putin’s) order, from 11:00 am Moscow time (0700 GMT) the troops of the central military district as well as formations and military units located on its territory have been put on full combat alert,” Russian news agencies quoted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s border guards said Saturday, pro-Russian rebels had continued to attack government forces in the strife-torn separatist east, a day after a unilateral ceasefire ordered by Kiev’s new Western-backed leader.

The border guard service said three soldiers were wounded when rebels used sniper and mortar fire to strike one of its bases in the eastern Donetsk region four hours after President Petro Poroshenko ordered his forces to halt fire for a week.

/AFP