Troops a warning, not a threat: Russia

"When the western countries now, including Australia, are expressing their support, either verbally or in material terms, or by sending arms to Ukraine, they embolden Kyiv to continue their line of sabotage," he told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

"We think that such expressions of support are very dangerous. Because they lead to provocations, they lead to war."

Dr Pavlovsky described Russia's troops as a warning to Ukraine "not to try any reckless military adventures".

"Our troops are not a threat. They are a warning to Ukraine not to try any reckless military adventures, not to interpret the support they have from the West, as carte blanche to do such crazy things."

He said he felt obliged to organise a rare media conference as Australians were getting a "comic book" version of what was occurring "like Batman versus Joker".