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Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has dispatched himself on a one-man peace mission to Moscow as all-out war looms between Russia and Ukraine.

The West Australian can reveal that Mr Rudd arrived in the Russian capital on Monday with plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin's top advisers.

It is also believed that Mr Rudd plans to go to the Ukrainian capital of Kiev this month to attend a "conference", although senior Australian diplomatic officials are baffled, saying they are unaware of any major event scheduled in the battle-scarred city.

Mr Rudd's surprise intervention in the crisis comes amid suggestions the Queenslander has been travelling the globe almost non-stop since the election, lobbying world leaders in a bid to win a senior job at the United Nations.

Mr Rudd contacted the Australian Embassy in Moscow this week, asking that he be picked up at the airport.

He asked Australian diplomats to organise a meeting with Mr Putin's foreign affairs adviser.

This morning, Mr Rudd disputed that his visit was connected to the Ukraine events.

It is unclear what priority Mr Rudd's visit has been given by Russian officials.

Diplomats suspect the former PM is attempting to "deal himself" into the crisis as a self-appointed special envoy.

Mr Rudd's spokeswoman said his trip to Moscow was planned more than a month ago and "not connected with recent developments in Ukraine".