Russian Trucks Enter Ukraine ‘Without Permission’
About 90 trucks from a Russian aid convoy have reportedly crossed into Ukraine without permission from Ukrainian border guards or the Red Cross.
The vehicles are carrying water, generators and sleeping bags intended to help civilians in the city of Luhansk, where pro-Russian separatist fighters are besieged by Ukrainian government forces.
The trucks, among a 280-lorry convoy, had been held at a border crossing for a week amid suspicions by Kyiv that the mission was being used as a cover for an invasion by Moscow.
But dozens of the Russian vehicles have now moved into the east of the country despite both sides in the months-long conflict ignoring pleas for a ceasefire.
The International Committee of the Red Cross had planned to escort the convoy but pulled out after not receiving enough security guarantees as fighting continues to rage.
Ukraine has been reluctant to let the convoy through over fears it is carrying supplies for the rebels, despite Moscow’s insistence the goods were simply humanitarian aid.
The transit comes as the Ukrainian president said he would tell Russia’s Vladimir Putin to rein in pro-Moscow separatists, when the two leaders meet next week.
Petro Poroshenko said he would tell President Putin that Ukraine had “a strong country, a strong army” behind him.
He said: “In order to have solid positions in peace negotiations, we have to be strong, to have the unity of the people, a strong country, a strong army.”
“We are capable of defending our sovereignty, our independence and our territorial integrity – we are fighting for the independence of Ukraine. Together we will win for sure.”
Mr Poroshenko spoke as government forces, despite taking heavy losses themselves, thrust deeper into rebel-held eastern territory, putting pressure on separatists.
After a faltering start in April, government forces’ success has alarmed some Western leaders who believe Mr Putin is being boxed in a corner.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to visit Kyiv on Saturday in support for Mr Poroshenko, however diplomatic sources said she will also push Ukraine for a ceasefire to prevent a Putin backlash.
Fierce fighting has continued in the East, with 16 Ukrainian special forces troops killed in fighting on Wednesday night in the town of Ilovaisk, near Donetsk.
Suspicion still surrounds the motives of the Russian convoy, which left a depot near Moscow more than a week ago, and claimed by opponents to being a ‘Trojan horse’.
Ukrainian officials have also claimed they have discovered Russian military vehicles operating inside its borders.
On Thursday, security spokesman Andriy Lysenko said: “Ukrainian soldiers captured two armoured vehicles of Russia’s Pskov Airbourne division in a battle near Luhansk.
“One of the vehicles had a full set of documents, from driver’s licences to military documents.”
Russia immediately rejected allegations that it had sent vehicles into Ukraine.