Germany worried by claims Russia is aiding Ukraine’s rebels

Ukraine’s military says it has killed up to 200 pro-Moscow insurgents at Donetsk airport, and accused Russia of continuing to supply rebels with reinforcements and weapons.

The claims that Russia is still sending arms and men into the country alarmed Germany. They came as Moscow qualified its backing for last weekend’s rebel elections and insisted it still sought a negotiated solution to the conflict.

Kiev’s military said as many as 200 rebels who on Thursday “fired at Ukrainian servicemen on the territory of Donetsk airport were destroyed by artillery fire from anti-terrorist operation forces.”

Several rebel tanks, armoured personnel carriers and heavy guns were also damaged or destroyed, the army said.

Separately, military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said “the supply of military equipment and manpower . . . from the territory of the Russian Federation is not stopping.”

He claimed that on Thursday 32 tanks, 16 heavy artillery guns and 30 trucks carrying ammunition and fighters had been sent from Russia to the town of Krasny Luch in Luhansk region.

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Reflecting the tougher stance taken in recent days by Kiev, Col Lysenko added: “The redeployment of equipment and Russian mercenaries at the frontline continues. The forces of the anti-terrorist operation are preparing to act appropriately, however the situation develops.”

In a phone conversation with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, German chancellor Angela Merkel expressed “grave concern about recent reports that speak of renewed Russian troop movements on Ukrainian territory”, her office said.

Ukrainian officials said yesterday that five serviceman had been killed and 16 wounded in the previous 24 hours, but denied rebel claims that Kiev had launched “all-out war” against the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.

A September 5th ceasefire agreed in Minsk reduced but failed to halt fighting, and the fierce struggle for Donetsk airport has continued almost unabated. The military and the rebels control different parts of the complex, which has been severely damaged by more than five months of battle.

Artillery fire in areas surrounding Donetsk city and in Luhansk region intensified after last Sunday’s rebel leadership elections, which Kiev and its western allies denounced as illegal shams.

Before the votes, Russia said it would recognise their results. However, yesterday Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov noted that Moscow had not gone that far, saying only that it “respects” the elections.

Analysts say Russia may seek to ease east-west tensions and avert further economic sanctions, following a sharp fall in the value of the rouble.

Ukraine says the separatist ballots breached the Minsk agreement, while the rebels claim Kiev wrecked the ceasefire deal by cancelling a law to give broad autonomy to Donetsk and Luhansk. Mr Poroshenko told Dr Merkel that breaches of the Minsk accord were “leading to further escalation of the conflict”.

Earlier, Kiev announced the deployment of reinforcements to areas near rebel-held territory, and said it would not send any more wages, benefits or other funds to separatist-controlled areas.