Ukraine captures Russian troops within its borders, just ahead of Minsk talks
The detention of the Russian paratroopers, who claim to have crossed the border accidentally, comes as the presidents of Russia and Ukraine attend a regional summit, with some speculating that the two may meet.
The detention of the Russian paratroopers, who claim to have crossed the border accidentally, comes as the presidents of Russia and Ukraine attend a regional summit, with some speculating that the two may meet.
A daily roundup of terrorism and security issues.
Ukraine on Tuesday released video of what it says are Russian soldiers captured in eastern Ukraine. The move, which bolsters Ukraine's claims of Russian interference in its territory, came just hours before a possible meeting between the two countries' presidents.
Ukraine鈥檚 security service said its forces聽captured 10 Russian paratroopers聽on Monday, near a village about 30 miles southeast of the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk, and about 15 miles away from the Russian border, according to the BBC.
The Facebook page for Ukraine鈥檚 anti-rebel operation 鈥� a group that includes the military, the national guard, and Interior Ministry forces 鈥� posted video of five of the men, the Associated Press reports.
Ukrainian television also aired interviews with the men, according to the BBC. A man identified as Ivan Milchakov said he is based in the Russian town Kostroma and was told he was going on a march.
A source from Russia鈥檚 Defense Ministry told Russia鈥檚 RIA Novosti news service that the military troops detained by Ukraine were patrolling the border and 鈥渕ost likely鈥� crossed it by accident.
Ukraine鈥檚 announcement comes as both sides are ratcheting up their rhetoric ahead of a possible meeting between Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit both will attend in Minsk, Belarus, today. The summit is meant to discuss the conflict and regional trade issues. 聽
On Monday, Moscow announced that it will send a second humanitarian convoy to Ukraine, after the first one controversially entered Ukrainian territory without permission on Friday to drop off food and other aid to people in the war-torn east. More than 2,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukrainian forces and rebels since April, according to the United Nations.
Also on Monday, antigovernment rebels in eastern Ukraine claimed they were making progress on a new offensive to crack the Ukrainian Army鈥檚 siege of Donetsk. The claim contradicts reports in recent days that the Ukrainian Army has the upper hand against the rebels, who are accused by Ukraine and its Western allies of being Russia-backed, a charge Moscow denies.
Both of Monday鈥檚 announcements are likely part of maneuvering before the potential meeting between Poroshenko and Putin, 海角大神 reports:
Few expect a diplomatic breakthrough at today's summit. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was coy on Monday about whether Putin and Poroshenko will meet privately, saying that 鈥渢here鈥檚 a whole range of bilateral meetings,鈥� and that 鈥渆xactly who will meet with whom will be announced additionally,鈥� according to RIA Novosti.
Catherine Ashton, the European Union鈥檚 foreign policy chief, and the European trade and energy commissioners will also attend the summit in Minsk.
The summit was 鈥渟et to talk about free-trade issues between the two countries in light of Ukraine鈥檚 pending affiliation with the European Union, but likely will be consumed by the war,鈥� The Washington Post reports:
.