Russian Ambassador to Sweden: Sorry about my language, but we don't care about sanctions.

“Sorry about my language, but we don't care about their sanctions”, Victor Tartartsev told the Aftonbladet newspaper in an interview posted late Saturday.

“We have already had so many sanctions, and in that sense they have had a positive effect on our economy and agriculture,” said the veteran diplomat, who speaks fluently Swedish and has been sent four times to the Scandinavian country.

“We are more self-sufficient and have been able to increase our exports. We don't have Italian or Swiss cheese, but we've learned to make Russian cheese just as good using Italian and Swiss recipes”, he said.

He added that the “new sanctions are nothing positive, but not as bad as the West” says.

Tattartsev accused the West of not understanding the Russian mentality.

“The more the West push Russia, the stronger the Russian response will be,” he said.

The diplomat's comments come as Western states fear Moscow is preparing an invasion of Ukraine, as it has almost surrounded its western neighbour with more than 100,000 troops.

Washington has warned that a comprehensive invasion could begin “everyday”.

Tathartsev insisted Moscow was trying to avoid a war.

This is our political leadership's most sincere wish. The last thing people in Russia want is war”, he said.

A number of countries have advised their citizens in Ukraine to leave the country after Washington said Friday that an invasion could occur in the coming days.

Amid increasing tensions, the Kremlin has demanded that NATO limit activities in Eastern Europe and promise that it will not add any former Soviet republic as Ukraine as new members.

In response to the crisis, NATO countries have deployed troops and equipment to other members, states that share a border with Ukraine.