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Russian air force holds military exercises near Ukraine border Russia holds huge military exercises near Ukraine border
(35 minutes later)
Russia is conducting military exercises with more than 100 aircraft in the country's central and western districts, in a show of strength near the border with Ukraine. Russia has began massive military exercise involving more than 100 aircraft near the border with Ukraine.
A Russian air force spokesman, Igor Klimov, told the Interfax news agency that aircraft including MiG-31 fighter jets and Russia's newest frontline bomber, the Su-34, would be used in the exercises and that the aircraft would conduct missile practice. The war games on Monday came as the conflict intensified around Donetsk, a city of one million people held by the pro-Russian rebels who have been fighting Kiev government forces since April. Heavy artillery fire continued there on Sunday night, according to the city administration. Ukraine's national security council said on Monday government troops had begun "liberating Donetsk from the north after encircling the city".
The exercises were planned to take place from Monday to Thursday. The headquarters of Kiev's "anti-terrorist operation" said rebels had intensified artillery fire at its positions overnight. Both sides have reportedly fired low-accuracy artillery like Grad rockets in populated areas during the conflict, in which at least 500 civilians have been killed.
Russia's defence ministry could not immediately be reached for comment. A map published by the national security council showed government forces had made significant gains, cutting the rebels in Donetsk off from those in Lugansk. Ukrainian troops had taken back three-quarters of formerly rebel-controlled territory, the council said.
The exercises came as fighting continued in eastern Ukraine as the advancing national army tried to seize control of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. Ukraine's defence minister, Valery Geletei, claim on Monday that Kiev would "be victorious very soon". Andrei Lysenko, a national security council spokesman, said the rebels would be defeated by winter.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian military operation, Alexei Dmitrashkovsky, said government soldiers were fighting on Sunday to hold positions they had taken on the edge of Donetsk, but were meeting resistance. The council also said artillery in Russia fired on Ukrainian soldiers and border guards overnight. It was the latest in a string of claims by Ukraine and Russia accusing each other of cross-border fire.
The separatists, who are in danger of being encircled, have renewed their calls for Russia to send troops to their aid. The Russian military exercise that began on Monday are scheduled to last through Friday and include Su-24, Su-27 and MiG-31 fighter jets, Mi-8, Mi-24 and Mi-28N helicopters, as well as the recently deployed Su-34 bomber jet. As part of the exercises, aircraft were to shoot at ground- and air-based targets at newly opened testing grounds in regions near Ukraine's south-east border, while air defence forces were to fire surface-to-air missiles near Astrakhan next to the Caspian Sea, the defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine and western leaders say they have evidence that Russia is arming the separatists. Russia denies this and describes the Russian citizens fighting in eastern Ukraine as volunteers. In addition, fighter jets and bombers were to practice mid-air refuelling from an Il-78 tanker plane above the Arctic Circle.
The ongoing battles have delayed the start of an international search for body parts still lying in the fields where Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down on 17 July, killing all 298 people on board. Last Friday, the US defence department said 10,000 Russian troops stationed near thew Ukraine have moved to within 30 miles of the border and continue to build their military capabilities. Russia has denied previous US claims of a troop buildup along the border last month, arguing that international monitors had not revealed any violations or undeclared military activities near Ukraine.
Russian and Ukrainian authorities were offering differing explanations of how 438 Ukrainian soldiers and border guards wound up on the Russian side of the border overnight. Russia's federal security service said the troops had destroyed their weapons and asked for asylum. Ukraine's national security council admitted that some troops had retreated into Russian territory during an operation to free a unit surrounded by rebel forces, but said they were forced to retreat to the border after running out of bullets.