Russia building up troops at joint border with Ukraine

Russia is building up forces on its border with Ukraine, and separatists, backed by Russian "mercenaries", are firing on Ukrainian border guards in an attempt to bring armoured vehicles into the country, a Ukrainian military spokesman said on Monday.

Accusing Russia of embarking on a course of escalation in Ukraine's eastern regions, National and Security Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko told journalists: "In the past 24 hours, deployment of (Russian) units and military equipment across the border from the Sumy and Luhansk border points was noticed. The Russian Federation continues to build up troops on the border."