In the conflict with Ukraine, according to a media report, Russia is planning an offensive on several fronts with up to 175,000 soldiers in the coming year.

As the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing a senior representative of the American government, Moscow's plans are to include “extensive movements of a hundred battalions of tactical units with an estimated 175,000 men, along with tanks, artillery and equipment”.

The Pentagon did not want to comment on the report when asked by the AFP news agency.

However, the ministry was "deeply concerned about indications that Russia has forged plans to take aggressive action against Ukraine".

Washington continues to support "de-escalation in the region and a diplomatic solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine," said Pentagon spokesman Tony Semelroth.

According to the newspaper report, the Russian armed forces are currently gathering at four points.

Accordingly, 50 tactical battle groups as well as tanks and artillery are involved in the deployment of troops.

The Washington Post referred to an unspecified document from the American secret services.

The movements towards and away from the border are intended to obscure the tactical approach and stir up uncertainty.

In view of a massive deployment of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine, there have long been fears that Russia could attack the neighboring country.

Moscow rejects such allegations.

In return, the Kremlin accuses Ukraine of letting the West arm itself with military equipment and denounces NATO military maneuvers near the Russian borders. 

Ukraine fears an attack by Russia in a few weeks' time.

"The most likely time for escalation readiness is the end of January," said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksi Resnikov on Friday.

The Ukrainian secret service is currently analyzing all possible scenarios. 

American President Joe Biden and Russian President Putin are scheduled to meet at a video summit next week.

Biden said in the White House on Friday that he was taking a series of measures to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The announcement came after a meeting on Thursday on the sidelines of an OSCE summit in Stockholm between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his American counterpart Antony Blinken.

The meeting "was a good opportunity for both sides to explain their positions to each other in a clear and understandable way," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitiri Peskov.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitri Kuleba categorically refused to renounce the desired NATO membership and to promise other "guarantees" demanded by Russia.

Kiev also called on the United States and its allies to reject the demands formulated by Moscow - also in order to reduce tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.

On Wednesday, Putin called for the West to clearly reject any further eastward expansion of NATO.