Russian Paratroopers Captured In Ukraine ift.tt/1zwBgOE Ukraines security service claims 10 Russian paratroopers have been captured by the army in the war-torn east of the country. The UBS said in a statement soldiers from the 98th airborne division based in central Russia were detained near the village of Dzerkalne, around 30 miles (50km) from rebel-held Donetsk. Investigators opened a criminal probe into illegal border crossing by Russian armed citizens, it added. Ukraines Defence Minister Valeriy Geletey said soldiers were captured on Monday. Officially they are at exercises in various corners of Russia. Separatists walk in front of garages set ablaze by shelling in Donetsk In reality, they are participating in military aggression against Ukraine and their families know nothing about their true fate. I am addressing the relatives of Russian servicemen: find out immediately where your loved ones are. Take them out of Ukraine, where they are being forced to die. The news comes hours before Ukranian President Petro Poroshenko is due to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin for the first time in months alongside top EU officials. Mr Poroshenko has pledged to talk peace with President Putin, but insists the withdrawal of pro-Kremlin forces is the only way to end the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov played down hopes for a major breakthrough, saying only that the talks would facilitate the exchange of opinions about efforts to start the political process to settle the political crisis. Ukrainian soldiers inspect their bus, which was destroyed in fighting Kiev has accused its neighbour of stoking the separatist insurgency but this is the first time authorities have claimed to have captured Russian soldiers. Moscow continues to deny any involvement in the rebellion. Earlier on Monday, Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said troops had stopped a column of tanks and armoured personnel carriers flying rebel flags from Russia travelling towards the port city of Mariupol. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the claim. Mr Poroshneko has dissolved Ukraines parliament and called early elections, accusing some politicians of supporting the rebels in the conflict, which has left more than 2,000 dead. Mr Poroshenko says he is ready to talk peace Snap parliament polls are part of my peace plan, he said, adding a change of leadership was vital to stop the fighting. In the east, a journalist with the AFP news agency witnessed heavy fighting to the south of Donetsk, the main rebel bastion, where separatists said they deployed more tanks and artillery. Explosions could be heard and smoke rose from towns to the south of the city. Kiev said four soldiers had been killed and 31 wounded in the last 24 hours. A Russian aid convoy was sent to Ukraine without Kievs permission Russian tanks and armoured vehicles are reported to have crossed the border near the towns of Shcherbak and Novoazovsk. Associated Press reporters say they saw three similar military convoys driving through the town of Krasnodon last week, coming from the direction of Russia. Meanwhile, Moscow has announced plans to send another aid convoy into eastern Ukraine this week. Russia unilaterally sent about 230 lorries carrying what it claimed was 1,800 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the rebel-held city of Luhansk on Friday.
Posted on: Tue, 26 Aug 2014 07:27:26 +0000
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