NATO sees increase in Russian troops along Ukraine border

NATO has seen an increase in Russian troops and equipment along the Ukraine border and is looking into reports of Russian tanks crossing the border into eastern Ukraine, a NATO military officer said on Friday.       

"We are aware of the reports of Russian troops and tanks crossing the border between Ukraine and Russia and are looking into these reports. We can confirm a recent increase in Russian troops and equipment along the eastern border of Ukraine," the officer said, on condition of anonymity.       

"If this crossing into Ukraine is confirmed it would be further evidence of Russia's aggression and direct involvement in destabilizing Ukraine," he said, after the Kiev military said a column of tanks, howitzer artillery systems and trucks had crossed into eastern Ukraine from Russia.  

A column of 32 tanks, 16 howitzer artillery systems and trucks carrying ammunition and fighters has crossed into eastern Ukraine from Russia, the Kiev military said on Friday.       

"The deployment continues of military equipment and Russian mercenaries to the front lines," spokesman Andriy Lysenko said in a televised briefing referring to Thursday's cross-border incursion.       

The report of a new Russian movement of armor across the border follows a charge on Thursday by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine that Kiev government forces had launched a new offensive - which Kiev immediately denied.       

Sporadic violence has continued since a Sept. 5 truce in a conflict that has cost over 4,000 lives.        

But the ceasefire has looked particularly fragile this week, with separatists and the central government accusing each other of violations after separatist leaders held elections in self-proclaimed 'people's republics' last Sunday.        

"Supplies of military equipment and enemy fighters from the Russian Federation are continuing," Lysenko said. He added that five Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 16 wounded in the past 24 hours despite the ceasefire.
 
Also on Friday, a Kremlin adviser said Russia is committed to a two-month-old agreement on a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and wants further talks held to build on peace moves involving government forces and separatists.      

Foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov also said Russia respected the will of voters after a separatist leadership election in the east of Ukraine regarded as illegitimate by the West.      

But, following Western criticism of Moscow's stance on Sunday's vote, he said he had deliberately chosen the word "respect" rather than "recognize".