Steve Rosenberg in eastern Ukraine, close to the Russian border: ''This region could be the next flashpoint''
Leaders of the G7 group of nations have called on Russia to stop all efforts to "annex" Ukraine's Crimea region.
They said if Russia took such a step they would "take further action, individually and collectively".The G7 leaders also said they would not recognise the results of a referendum in Crimea this weekend on whether to split from Ukraine and join Russia.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's national security chief has warned of a major Russian military build-up on Ukraine's borders.
Andriy Parubiy said Moscow had not withdrawn its troops after carrying out military exercises near Ukraine's eastern and southern frontiers last month.
"The Russian army is only two to three hours' march from Kiev," he said, adding that Ukraine's "units are positioned to repel attack from any direction."
'Deeply flawed' The Group of Seven industrial nations - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US - along with the European Union urged Russia to "cease all efforts to change the status of Crimea".
"In addition to its impact on the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea could have grave implications for the legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states," they said in a statement released by the White House.
Russia's military presence remains
visible in the southern Ukrainian region of Crimea, where the majority
of people are ethnic Russians.
Cossacks, loyal to Russia, stand guard in front of Crimea's regional government in the Crimean capital Simferopol.
The world's focus is on Crimea ahead of
its controversial referendum on Sunday. Citizens will vote whether they
want to stay with Ukraine or join Russia. This poster reads: "Together
with Russia."
The interim government in Ukraine and its
Western allies say the vote violates Ukraine's constitution and will
not be lawful. Russia says it will respect the outcome of the
referendum.
Will other Russian-dominated parts of Ukraine - such as here in Donetsk - want to hold a similar vote?
"Given the lack of adequate preparation and the intimidating presence of Russian troops, it would also be a deeply flawed process which would have no moral force."
The leaders repeated their calls for Russia to de-escalate the crisis by withdrawing its troops, talking directly with Kiev and using international mediators to "address any legitimate concerns it may have".
The BBC's John Simpson says the vote "won't affect anything in the longer run"
"Our job is to present them with a series of options that are appropriate in order to try to respect the people of Ukraine, international law and the interests of all concerned," he told the House Appropriations Committee on Foreign Operations.
Earlier, Ukraine's President Olexander Turchynov told the AFP news agency that Russia had so far rejected "a diplomatic solution to the conflict".
Andriy Parubiy, head of Ukraine's national security and defence council, said there was a "critical situation" on Ukraine's eastern and southern borders.
He accused Moscow of sending "subversive agents" into those areas to try to create a pre-text to deploy troops in the same way it has done in Crimea.
Mr Parubiy said Kiev's parliament will vote on Thursday to establish a National Guard of 20,000 people - recruited from activists involved in the recent pro-Western protests as well as from military academies - to strengthen Ukraine's defences.
The National Guard, he said, would be deployed to "protect state borders, general security and prevent "terrorist activities".
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