Rebel tanks and troops pour into Ukraine region of Luhansk from Russia

NATO sources have confirmed the Russian military invasion of Ukraine after a column of 32 tanks entered the country from Russia. Ukraine’s military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said a convoy made up of 32 tanks, 16 howitzer cannons and 30 trucks of troops and equipment had crossed the border into the rebel-controlled Luhansk region. “The deployment continues of military equipment and Russian mercenaries to the front lines,” he said in a televised briefing. The move comes the day after fighting with pro-Russian rebels killed five Ukrainian soldiers and injured 16, he added. A Kremlin advisor said that Russia was committed to the two-month-old Minsk agreement on ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and wanted to build on peace talks.

Over the past day we lost five Ukrainian soldiers and 16 were wounded.

Ukraine’s military spokesman Andriy Lysenko

Foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Russia respected the will of voters after a leadership election in eastern Ukraine seen as illegitimate in the west. But he was careful to add that he had deliberately chosen the word “respect” rather than “recognise”. Russian president Vladimir Putin is due to meet with a number of world leaders next week, including UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr Ushakov said. The conflict and EU and U.S. sanctions have hit Russia hard, with the ruble set for its worst week in 15 years. So far this year it has lost more than a third of its value against the U.S. dollar.

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