MOSCOW, August 28 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s envoy to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) denied Kiev's claims that Russia has sent troops to help independence supporters in eastern Ukraine.
“There are no Russian convoys [in Ukraine],” Andrei Kelin told RIA Novosti after an OSCE meeting.
“Our partners were not interested in the humanitarian situation in southeastern Ukraine, only in some imaginary convoys of Russian military vehicles that allegedly are approaching Novoazovsk. … Naturally, there are no convoys.”
“There is only one certain fact – militia members entered Novoazovsk, everything else is just insinuations. There were alleged Russian military convoys a week ago, two weeks ago. There is nothing there, it’s just the Ukrainian military losing their positions, losing more ground to the militia, who, I believe, have now launched a counter-offensive.”
The statement followed Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s claims that “Russian troops have entered Ukraine.” Earlier in the day, Poroshenko cancelled his visit to Turkey and called for an urgent meeting of the National Security and Defense Council.
Kiev authorities launched a special military operation in mid-April against independence supporters in the southeast of Ukraine, who refused to recognize the legitimacy of the country’s coup-imposed government.
Since the beginning of the military conflict, Kiev has been accusing Russia of sending troops and weaponry to independence supporters in the region.
Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Ukrainian crisis, urging Kiev to stop the bloodshed and establish a direct dialogue with representatives of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
