‘The drumbeat of war sounding loud’

Ukraine was hit by a massive cyberattack warning its citizens to "be afraid and expect the worst", and Russia, which has massed more than 100,000 troops on its neighbour's frontier, released TV pictures yesterday of more forces deploying in a drill.

The developments unfolded hours after talks wrapped up with no breakthrough between Russia and Western states.

"The drumbeat of war is sounding loud," Michael Carpenter, US Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said at the close of talks on Thursday.

Russia denies plans to attack Ukraine but says it could take unspecified military action unless demands are met, including a promise by the Nato alliance never to admit Kyiv.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday said Russia hoped security talks with the United States would resume, but this would depend on Washington's response to Moscow's proposals.

"We categorically will not accept the appearance of Nato right on our borders, especially so given the current course of the Ukrainian leadership," he said.

Asked what Moscow meant by threatening this week to take "military-technical action" if talks fail, Lavrov said: "Measures to deploy military hardware, that is obvious. When we take decisions with military hardware we understand what we mean and what we are preparing for."

Ukrainian officials were investigating the huge cyberattack, which they said hit around 70 internet sites of government bodies including the ministry of foreign affairs, cabinet of ministers, and security and defence council. Though they avoided directly accusing Moscow, they made clear Russia was suspected.

EU foreign ministers yesterday warned Russia of a "robust" response, fearing that a cyberattack against Ukraine could prepare the ground for military action by Moscow against its neighbour.

The standoff with Russia "is serious, more serious than anything we've seen in recent years", Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told reporters at a meeting of the bloc's top diplomats in the French city of Brest.

"Some say the cyberattack could be the prelude for other activities, military activities," he said.