Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird have urged Russia to avoid "provocative" military moves along its border with Ukraine, during a visit to Kiev.
"We call on neighbors to support Ukraine and respect its sovereignty and avoid any action that could appear to be provocative," he said yesterday, in a call to Canadian reporters.
"With this in mind I'm concerned that Russian military exercises are not helpful at this time."
"We're concerned with the provocative actions that have taken place in the region by the Russian federation."
Kiev has accused Russia of launching an "armed invasion" after at least 10 Russian helicopters crossed the border towards the Crimea peninsula.
Russian President Vladimir Putin put his armed forces in the area near Ukraine on high alert midweek.
Armed men in fatigues meanwhile descended on two key airports in the autonomous, Russian-speaking region of Crimea.
And pro-Russian gunmen seized parliament and government buildings in Simferopol, raising the Russian flag.
Canada has a large Ukrainian diaspora -- there are 1.2 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent, according to the latest census.
Baird also pledged technical and political support to Ukraine's new government, as well as unspecified economic development aid.
