Russia has deployed artillery units in Ukraine, NATO warns
Russia has moved artillery units inside Ukrainian territory over the last few days, NATO said on Friday.
The news marks a significant deterioration in the news-flow coming from Ukraine, although the possibility had been speculated on for some time now.
More serious however appears to be the fact that the above officials said the artillery support is being employed against the Ukrainian armed forces.
They also said that there transfers of advanced weapons such as tanks and armoured personnel carriers to separatist groups in eastern Ukraine have also been taking place over recent days.
NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen condemned the moves saying Russia is escalating the situation despite the efforts of the international community to stop the crisis.
"This is a blatant breach of Russia's international commitments, including those made recently in Berlin and Geneva, and a further violation of Ukraine's sovereignty by Russia. It can only deepen the crisis in the region, which Russia itself has created and has continued to fuel.
"The disregard of international humanitarian principles raises further questions about whether the true purpose of the aid convoy is to support civilians or to resupply armed separatists," he said.
JF