'Vikings' Lagertha actress 'stands by her motherland Ukraine' amid crisis

A day after US President Joe Biden warned there is a "distinct possibility" Russia might invade Ukraine next month, actress Katheryn Winnick said she stands by her country.

Winnick, who played the role of Lagertha in hit TV series "Vikings", is a Canadian actress of Ukrainian origin. 

Taking to Instagram, the actress shared her throwback picture from her recent visit to Ukraine and wrote, "I stand by my Motherland, Ukraine."

The build-up of tens of thousands of Russian troops on Ukraine's borders in recent weeks has stoked fears of an invasion.

Russia denies it is planning an attack. President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February," White House National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said.