DHAKA: The US is ‘running the show’ in Ukraine, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

Lavrov told Russia Today it was ‘quite telling’ that Kiev had re-launched its anti-terror operation against pro-Russian gunmen during a visit by US vice-president Joe Biden.

Kiev and the West say Moscow commands the gunmen - claims denied by Russia.

In the past month, pro-Russian militants have overrun several cities in the eastern Donetsk region.

They have occupied public buildings and installed their own officials, in similar tactics to those used to take over the Ukrainian region of Crimea earlier in the year.

The US had earlier demanded that Moscow must publicly call for pro-Russian gunmen to lay down their weapons and leave public buildings.

The US also urged Russia to tone down its aggressive rhetoric or face further sanctions.

However, Lavrov accused the US of meddling in the Ukraine crisis.

‘There is no reason not to believe that the Americans are running the show,’ he said, reports the BBC.

BDST: 1634 HRS, APR 23, 2014