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| Ukraine crisis: Pentagon says Russian jets violated airspace | Ukraine crisis: Pentagon says Russian jets violated airspace |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The US says Russian military aircraft have entered Ukrainian airspace several times in the past 24 hours, amid rising tension in the east of the country. | The US says Russian military aircraft have entered Ukrainian airspace several times in the past 24 hours, amid rising tension in the east of the country. |
| A Pentagon spokesman told the BBC late on Friday that the incidents had happened mainly near the border with Russia, but gave no further details. | |
| Earlier pro-Russian separatists seized a bus carrying international military observers, Ukrainian officials said. | |
| Talks were under way to secure their release near the town of Sloviansk. | Talks were under way to secure their release near the town of Sloviansk. |
| Russia has tens of thousands of troops deployed along its side of the border with Ukraine as pro-Moscow separatists continue to occupy official buildings in a dozen eastern towns, defying the government in Kiev. | Russia has tens of thousands of troops deployed along its side of the border with Ukraine as pro-Moscow separatists continue to occupy official buildings in a dozen eastern towns, defying the government in Kiev. |
| US President Barack Obama and European leaders threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia, saying it has failed to implement an agreement to defuse the crisis in Ukraine. | |
| Russia has accused the West of wanting to "seize" Ukraine. | Russia has accused the West of wanting to "seize" Ukraine. |
| In a statement from the Pentagon, Col Steven Warren repeated US calls to take "immediate steps to de-escalate the situation". | In a statement from the Pentagon, Col Steven Warren repeated US calls to take "immediate steps to de-escalate the situation". |
| He said the US had told Russian officials that US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel wanted to speak to his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, but there had been no response so far. | He said the US had told Russian officials that US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel wanted to speak to his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, but there had been no response so far. |
| Mr Hagel described Russian activity along the Ukrainian border as "dangerously destabilising" and "very provocative". | Mr Hagel described Russian activity along the Ukrainian border as "dangerously destabilising" and "very provocative". |
| Earlier this month, Ukraine and Russia struck an agreement in Geneva calling for separatists to leave official premises and give up their arms. The pact included an amnesty for those who left peacefully. | |
| But so far pro-Russian activists have refused to give in to the demands. On Thursday US Secretary of State John Kerry accused Moscow of trying to destabilise Ukraine. | |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday said she had spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin to express her dissatisfaction with Russia's lack of commitment to bring about a "peaceful path of discussion" with the separatists. | |
| Also on Friday, Ukraine's interior ministry said armed separatists had seized seven representatives from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), as well as five Ukrainian army personnel and a bus driver. | |
| Pro-Russian leaders in Sloviansk confirmed the bus had been stopped and said they were checking the identities of those on board. | |
| The self-proclaimed mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, said at least one passenger had been carrying maps showing separatist checkpoints in the area, which suggested "their involvement in espionage". | |
| Tensions have risen in recent days as Ukraine launched military raids to try to regain occupied buildings. | |
| At least two separatists have been killed in the raids which Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described as a "bloody crime". |