NATO accuses Russia of sending troops into eastern Ukraine

PanARMENIAN.Net - NATO accused Russia of sending troops and weapons into eastern Ukraine Wednesday, Nov 12, as Ukrainian officials announced that they are bracing for a return to hostilities in the eastern part of the country, the Washington Post reports.

U.S. Gen. Philip Breedlove, NATO’s top commander, told reporters in Bulgaria that the Western alliance had observed “columns of Russian equipment, primarily Russian tanks, Russian artillery, Russian air-defense systems and Russian combat troops, entering into Ukraine” over the past few days.

“There is no question anymore about Russia’s direct military involvement in Ukraine,” Breedlove said, adding that NATO had observed “multiple columns” moving into Ukraine, but did not cite a figure.

Gen. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, swiftly dismissed the accusations as “hot air,” arguing that there are “no facts” to support “the supposed presence of Russian armed forces in Ukraine.”

Last week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO had observed Russian troops moving closer to the Ukrainian border. By Friday, Ukraine had accused Russia of sending troops, tanks and weapons into eastern Ukraine — the same day the Ukrainian military claimed to have killed up to 200 pro-Russian fighters during a skirmish around the Donetsk airport.

Over the past few days, monitors working for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe have reported seeing convoys of weapons and other military systems moving west through eastern Ukraine.