Potential Russia-Ukraine flashpoints
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A Russian military build-up near Ukraine has raised fears in Kiev and the West that Moscow might invade its neighbour
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1 Sea of Azov Source of periodic confrontation since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukraine says Moscow seeks de facto control of entire sea and impedes shipping
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2 Crimea: Russia has heavily reinforced peninsula with troops and military hardware since annexation. Most countries in world recognise Crimea and its surrounding waters as Ukrainian
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3 North Crimean Canal: Soviet-era waterway could be used as pretext for Russian military offensive in southern Ukraine – canal supplied 85% of Crimea’s fresh water until Kiev blocked it in 2014
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4 Donbas: Ukraine says 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between government forces and Russia-backed rebels since 2014. Moscow has accused Kiev of building up its own troops
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5 Belarus: Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has signalled that his country could side with Russia in military conflict with Ukraine, and that he recognised Crimea as Russian
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Deployments of Russian military equipment

Territory held by Russia-backed rebels
 
1 2 3 4 5
Yelnya
Bryansk
Pogonovo
Kiev
UKRAINE
MOLDOVA
Kherson
Odessa
Novoozerne
Black Sea
Mariupol 
Berdyansk
Opuk 
Dzhankoi
Dnieper River
Otreshkovo
RUSSIA
Kharkiv
Zaporizhia
Kerch Strait
Dnipro
Luhansk 
Donetsk 
Rostov

200km 125 miles
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Sources: Janes, Reuters
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