Russia and US engage in new war of words over Ukraine

Russia accused the US on Thursday of deploying military trainers in the combat zone in east Ukraine in a new war of words after Washington said Moscow was engaged in a military build-up in the war-torn region.

The statement from Moscow came hours after the US said Russia was breaching a six-week-old ceasefire deal in eastern Ukraine. Washington said Russia was stepping up its military involvement, including complex training exercises and the deployment of air defence systems near the frontline.

The public rebuke from Washington warned of military manoeuvres that could presage a fresh Moscow-backed separatist offensive, casting a shadow over hopes of a European-brokered truce in Minsk holding through the summer.

The diplomatic finger-pointing came amid reports of a resurgence of violence in east Ukraine during the past week, particularly around the port and steel city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov.

Kiev and western countries remain concerned that Russian-backed forces could launch a new assault to cut off Ukrainian exports through Mariupol port, and as part of attempts to create a land bridge linking Russia to Crimea.

Marie Harf, the US state department spokeswoman, said late on Wednesday that Russia's troop presence on the Ukraine border was its biggest since October and that heavy weapons had been moved into eastern Ukraine in recent months.

"Combined Russian separatist forces continue to violate the terms of the Minsk 2 agreement signed in mid-February," she said.

"The Russian military has deployed additional air defence systems into eastern Ukraine and moved several of these nearer the front lines," Ms Harf added. "This is the highest amount of Russian air defence equipment in eastern Ukraine since August."

Russia's defence ministry reiterated its line that there is no Russian military presence in southeast Ukraine.

<

The tabular content relating to this article is not available to view. Apologies in advance for the inconvenience caused.

Colonel Andriy Lysenko of the Ukrainian army denied US troops were in the east, saying it was "nothing more than a provocation intended to discredit Ukraine in the eyes of Russians and the European Community".

US personnel were training Ukrainian soldiers at Yavoriv in west Ukraine, said Col Lysenko. US reports of a fresh Russian military build-up in the east "confirm what we have been saying for some time".

Since the outbreak of conflict in eastern Ukraine last year, more than 6,000 people have been killed, 15,000 wounded and a million displaced. While the latest ceasefire accord has brought a lull in fighting, there have been violations throughout.

Russian-backed separatists are reported to have used heavy artillery. Separatists and Moscow meanwhile accuse Kiev of failing to live up to its promises by attaching conditions to a law offering limited self-government to breakaway eastern regions.

<>Russia denies supporting separatists with military kit, or operating within Ukraine. Moscow has warned that Washington's programme to train Ukraine's national guard, which involves 300 troops, could "destabilise the situation" in Ukraine.

Western diplomats have been left guessing over Russian president Vladimir Putin's intentions in coming months. Some European officials believe the frayed ceasefire will endure, partly because Kiev is facing destabilising economic and political hardship that Moscow thinks will play in its favour.

More pessimistic diplomats think Russia is stepping up activities to raise pressure on Kiev and prepare to help separatists gain more territory. "Let's be honest, we're not seeing an improvement in the situation, things are getting worse," said one European ambassador.

A key political factor in coming months is the July deadline for the EU to decide whether to roll over all or some of its sanctions against Russia. France and Italy are pressing for adjustments to reflect progress on implementing the Minsk accord.

The US assessment of military activities in eastern Ukraine noted that Russian and separatists forces were conducting "increasingly complex" training exercises that had "incorporated Russian UAVs [drones], an unmistakable sign of Russia's presence".

© The Financial Times Limited 2015. All rights reserved.
FT and Financial Times are trademarks of the Financial Times Ltd.
Not to be redistributed, copied or modified in any way.
Euro2day.gr is solely responsible for providing this translation and the Financial Times Limited does not accept any liability for the accuracy or quality of the translation