Ukraine crisis worsens: Diplomats fly out, fighter jets fly in

US, UK pull embassy staff out of Kyiv; Nato boosts east European flank even as Russia accuses West of 'hysteria'

Nato said on Monday it was putting forces on standby and reinforcing eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets, in what Russia denounced as an escalation of tensions over Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Britain said it was withdrawing some staff and dependants from its embassy in Ukraine, hours after the United States said it was ordering diplomats’ family members to leave. US diplomats were being allowed to leave voluntarily.

Welcoming a series of deployments announced by alliance members in recent days, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO would “continue to take all necessary measures to protect