US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the threat of a Russian invasion is “real”, dismissing claims Moscow has pulled troops back from the border.

The United States is continuing to warn Russia could invade Ukraine at any day, as tensions in the region escalate.

According to US President Joe Biden, more than 150,000 troops remain deployed at the border, with any remaining American citizens urged to leave immediately.

Blinken’s comments echo those of NATO Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, who also sees no sign of de-escalation by Russia.

This is all despite claims made by Moscow that some of its troops are being withdrawn and military drills in Crimea being wound up.

NATO is moving to action further battlegrounds in both central and south-eastern Europe,  and the Secretary-General warns the threat from Russia is now the “new normal”.

The comments by the Secretary-General paint a bleak picture of what the future holds for European security.

He says ongoing measures to bolster EU defence is part of ongoing measures.

But Russia’s foreign ministry has rejected these claims, saying it is “no longer interested” in Stoltenberg’s comments.

NATO believes Russia’s build-up of military personnel remains the biggest since the Cold War era.