MOSCOW — NATO accused Russia of sending troops and weapons into eastern Ukraine Wednesday, as Ukrainian officials announced that they are bracing for a return to hostilities in the eastern part of the country.
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” during 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, dismissed the accusations as “hot air,” arguing that there are “no facts” to support “the supposed presence of Russian armed forces in Ukraine.”
Breedlove’s charges are only the latest alarm bell NATO and its allies have sounded in recent days warning of Russian military activity along and across the Ukrainian border.
Last week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said 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 separatist fighters during a skirmish around the Donetsk airport.
The U.N. Security Council met Wednesday for the 26th time in emergency session on Ukraine.
U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told the council that Russia “talks of peace, but it keeps fueling war.” The United States called the emergency meeting.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
