Russia claimed Monday that its forces had killed five Ukrainians with anti-tank weapons after their vehicles crossed into Russian territory, which Ukraine denied. The head of Russia's FSB intelligence service later claimed one Ukrainian soldier had been captured.

Why it matters: U.S. and Ukrainian officials have vehemently denied claims that Ukraine would launch attacks on Russia soil at a time when 150,000 Russian troops are massed on the borders, but fear they're part of the Kremlin's efforts to justify an imminent invasion.

• Russian state media claimed the Ukrainians that were killed had been on a "sabotage" mission, and also reported that Ukrainian shells had destroyed a border post on Russian soil.
• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denied both allegations and called on Russia to "stop your fake-producing factory now."
• The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine tweeted: "Russia’s execution of transparent, hackneyed plots to justify an invasion would be laughable if they weren’t so destructive and dangerous."

Zoom out: Pro-Russian separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine have asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to send military assistance and recognize the independence of their breakaway republics, Russian state media reported Monday.

• The Russian-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014, when they proclaimed independent "republics" in Donetsk and Luhansk. Because they don't control all of the territory they claim, recognition by Russia could...

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