Europe

Russia's Putin meets top brass to discuss security in Crimea

Associated Press
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FILE - In this file photo dated Monday, July 11, 2016, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko gestures during a news conference in Kiev, Ukraine. In a statement Thursday Aug. 11, 2016, Ukrainian President Poroshenko says he has ordered the army to be put on combat alert on the de-facto border with Crimea and the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, in response to relations with Russia. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, FILE) (The Associated Press)

In this grab taken from a footage provided by Russian Federal Security Service Press Service, a handcuffed man identified as Yevgeny Panov, suspected of being involved in a group that Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) identified as Ukrainian 'saboteurs,' is led by FSB officers in Crimea, on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. The FSB said its agents thwarted an attempt by Ukrainian 'saboteurs' to conduct terror attacks in Crimea. Ukraine has denied the claim. (Russian Federal Security Service Press Service via AP) (The Associated Press)

In this grab taken from a footage provided by Russian Federal Security Service Press Service, a handcuffed man identified as Yevgeny Panov, suspected of being involved in a group that Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) identified as Ukrainian 'saboteurs,' is led by FSB officers in Crimea, on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. The FSB said its agents thwarted an attempt by Ukrainian 'saboteurs' to conduct terror attacks in Crimea. Ukraine has denied the claim. (Russian Federal Security Service Press Service via AP) (The Associated Press)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a meeting of the country's top brass to discuss boosting security in Crimea following the reports of foiled terrorist attacks.

The Russian intelligence said Wednesday that two people were killed while fending off what it described as a series of attempted attacks in Crimea by Ukrainian "saboteurs." Ukraine rejected the claims as "fantasy" and "a provocation."

Russia annexed the Black Sea peninsula in March 2014 following a hastily called referendum, an event that sparked Russia-backed separatists to begin fighting in eastern Ukraine, where deadly fighting is still ongoing.

The Kremlin on Thursday said Putin chaired a Security Council session to discuss "additional measures" to ensure security at Crimea's de-facto border, the territorial waters around it and the Crimean airspace.