Ukraine is preparing a provocation in the Sea of Azov to discredit the Russian border guards, an informed source in Crimea told Sputnik on Wednesday.

Kiev continues to escalate situation in its eastern region of Donbas as the ceasefire violations by the Ukrainian militants have intensified over the last weeks, Russian Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich said Thursday.

Russia had to strengthen security measures in the Sea of Azov in response to "terrorist and pirate threats" from Ukraine, Mikhail Sheremet, a Russian lawmaker representing Crimea, told Sputnik on Saturday, commenting on Kiev's allegations that Moscow was aiming to "occupy" the sea.

The Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Operational Command called on Kiev on Friday to give up attempts to exacerbate the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The Ukrainian security forces have formed a striking force of over 12,000 people in order to launch an offensive against the forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in the direction of the city of Mariupol, in the south of the region, deputy commander of the DPR Operational Command Eduard Basurin said on Tuesday.