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| As Ukraine Forces Make Headway, Russia Is Said to Step Up Role | As Ukraine Forces Make Headway, Russia Is Said to Step Up Role |
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| KIEV, Ukraine — Russia has stepped up its direct involvement in fighting between the Ukranian military and separatist insurgents, unleashing artillery attacks from Russian territory and massing heavy weapons along the border, Ukrainian and American officials say. | KIEV, Ukraine — Russia has stepped up its direct involvement in fighting between the Ukranian military and separatist insurgents, unleashing artillery attacks from Russian territory and massing heavy weapons along the border, Ukrainian and American officials say. |
| Russia’s aim, the officials say, appears to be to stem and perhaps roll back gains made by government forces, who have been retaking rebel-held territory and trying to seal the border. They say Russia’s accelerated intervention raises the prospect of more direct and more heated fighting between Ukraine and Russia. | |
| American officials, citing military intelligence, including satellite images, warned that Russia appeared to be preparing to arm the rebels with more high-powered weaponry than it has previously supplied, including tanks, armored vehicles and powerful Tornado multiple rocket launchers. | American officials, citing military intelligence, including satellite images, warned that Russia appeared to be preparing to arm the rebels with more high-powered weaponry than it has previously supplied, including tanks, armored vehicles and powerful Tornado multiple rocket launchers. |
| Among the gains of the Ukrainian forces, following days of intense fighting, was the recapture of Lysychansk. The city of more than 100,000 had been a rebel stronghold, posing a strategic obstacle to government troops pressing through the Luhansk region from the north and west. The Ukrainian military called in air support as its ground troops struggled to expel insurgents. | |
| The reports of increased hostilities suggest that rather than scale back its military intervention in Ukraine after a Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down by a missile that the United States and Ukraine say was supplied by Russia, Moscow is instead devoting even more firepower to the pro-Russia separatists’ cause, despite international condemnation and toughened United States sanctions. | |
| A NATO military officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the comments were about sensitive intelligence matters, said by telephone, “The United States has shared intelligence information with NATO today regarding strikes that are occurring from within Russian territory, firing into Ukraine territory.” | |
| In Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, a military spokesman said on Friday that Ukrainian troops were coming under increased fire from the Russian side of the border, and that the Ukrainian military had recently shot down three Russian surveillance drones. One was used to target a Ukrainian base near the town of Amvrosiivka, which then quickly came under heavy rocket attack, the spokesman said. | In Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, a military spokesman said on Friday that Ukrainian troops were coming under increased fire from the Russian side of the border, and that the Ukrainian military had recently shot down three Russian surveillance drones. One was used to target a Ukrainian base near the town of Amvrosiivka, which then quickly came under heavy rocket attack, the spokesman said. |
| The military spokesman, Andriy Lysenko, said Ukrainian forces were engaged in particularly heavy fighting near a border crossing at Chervona Zorya, not far from where two Ukrainian fighter jets were downed on Wednesday in what Ukrainian officials said was a missile attack from the Russian side of the border. | The military spokesman, Andriy Lysenko, said Ukrainian forces were engaged in particularly heavy fighting near a border crossing at Chervona Zorya, not far from where two Ukrainian fighter jets were downed on Wednesday in what Ukrainian officials said was a missile attack from the Russian side of the border. |
| “We have facts of shelling of Ukrainian positions from the territory of Russian Federation,” Mr. Lysenko said. “We have facts on the violation of air border between Ukraine and Russia.” | “We have facts of shelling of Ukrainian positions from the territory of Russian Federation,” Mr. Lysenko said. “We have facts on the violation of air border between Ukraine and Russia.” |
| Mr. Lysenko said some Russian soldiers had surrendered to Ukrainian forces. “We have information about weapons and mercenaries, who have respective skills for warfare, who have been passing over from the territory of Russian Federation,” he said. | Mr. Lysenko said some Russian soldiers had surrendered to Ukrainian forces. “We have information about weapons and mercenaries, who have respective skills for warfare, who have been passing over from the territory of Russian Federation,” he said. |
| Although military activity by Russia has been most active in the border regions where there is active fighting, there have been reports of deployments of troops and equipment at many different points along the border, which runs more than 1,425 miles. This week, the Ukrainian military reported five Russian armored personnel carriers, three tanks and other military vehicles in the Belgorod region of Russia, where officials said Russia had stationed equipment, along with about 500 troops, on a children’s camp outside the village of Golovchino. | |
| In the Sumy region of Russia, the Ukrainian military observed a column of military vehicles bearing Russian flags, including seven armored personnel carriers and two combat reconnaissance vehicles, traveling at high speed into a neutral zone between the Russian border post called Grayvoron and its Ukrainian counterpart, Velyka Pysarivka. With Ukrainian forces waiting, officials said, the column turned around. | |
| Russia has repeatedly denied that its forces are involved in the fighting in eastern Ukraine and that it is supplying rebels with weapons and other equipment, despite a substantial body of evidence collected by Ukraine and its allies. Ukraine and the United States have also said the missile that destroyed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was fired from rebel territory using a system supplied by Russia. | Russia has repeatedly denied that its forces are involved in the fighting in eastern Ukraine and that it is supplying rebels with weapons and other equipment, despite a substantial body of evidence collected by Ukraine and its allies. Ukraine and the United States have also said the missile that destroyed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was fired from rebel territory using a system supplied by Russia. |
| The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday issued a statement accusing the United States of engaging in a "smear campaign" against Russia and flatly denying that it was planning to supply heavy weapons or had fired artillery across the border. | |
| “All of this is accompanied by references to some ‘evidence’ allegedly available to the United States,” the ministry said. “Not one of these ‘evidences,’ however, has been shown, which is not surprising. Facts and specifics to support false allegations simply do not exist.” | |
| Ukrainian officials say their forces in recent days have recaptured at least 10 towns, shrinking the amount of territory under rebel control in the embattled regions of Luhansk and Donetsk and gaining substantial advantage, including over some of the main highways in the region. Officials have said they believe that they could defeat the rebels within three weeks if there is no further intervention by Russia, either in the form of new vehicles and weapons or — less likely — a direct invasion by Russian forces. | Ukrainian officials say their forces in recent days have recaptured at least 10 towns, shrinking the amount of territory under rebel control in the embattled regions of Luhansk and Donetsk and gaining substantial advantage, including over some of the main highways in the region. Officials have said they believe that they could defeat the rebels within three weeks if there is no further intervention by Russia, either in the form of new vehicles and weapons or — less likely — a direct invasion by Russian forces. |
| In recent days, officials have said, there have been incessant attacks from Russian territory, as well as incursions into Ukrainian airspace by Russian military aircraft. Mr. Lysenko said on Thursday that several border posts, along with the Luhansk airport, were shelled by Grad rockets fired from Russian territory. | In recent days, officials have said, there have been incessant attacks from Russian territory, as well as incursions into Ukrainian airspace by Russian military aircraft. Mr. Lysenko said on Thursday that several border posts, along with the Luhansk airport, were shelled by Grad rockets fired from Russian territory. |
| Last week, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, NATO’s top commander, cited a video that appears to show the Russian military firing the Grad rockets into Ukraine. “I am deeply concerned by this latest video that appears to show Russia engaging in military action against Ukraine,” General Breedlove wrote on Twitter. | Last week, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, NATO’s top commander, cited a video that appears to show the Russian military firing the Grad rockets into Ukraine. “I am deeply concerned by this latest video that appears to show Russia engaging in military action against Ukraine,” General Breedlove wrote on Twitter. |
| While Ukraine has long complained about the flow of weapons, tanks and volunteer fighters across the Russian border, the allegations of direct Russian intervention have grown far more serious in the last two weeks. | While Ukraine has long complained about the flow of weapons, tanks and volunteer fighters across the Russian border, the allegations of direct Russian intervention have grown far more serious in the last two weeks. |
| On July 14, a Ukrainian military transport plane was shot down by what Ukrainian officials said was a powerful missile fired from the Russian side of the border. The next day, officials said, a Russian plane bombed an apartment building in the town of Snizhne, killing 11 people, and the day after that, a Russian MiG-29 crossed into Ukrainian airspace and engaged two Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jets in a dogfight before shooting one down. The Malaysia Airlines jetliner, with 298 people aboard, was shot down the next afternoon. | On July 14, a Ukrainian military transport plane was shot down by what Ukrainian officials said was a powerful missile fired from the Russian side of the border. The next day, officials said, a Russian plane bombed an apartment building in the town of Snizhne, killing 11 people, and the day after that, a Russian MiG-29 crossed into Ukrainian airspace and engaged two Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jets in a dogfight before shooting one down. The Malaysia Airlines jetliner, with 298 people aboard, was shot down the next afternoon. |
| “The quantity and sophistication of weaponry being sent by Russia across the border is increasing,” one Western official said on Friday, adding that Russian artillery units have been firing into Ukraine from Russian territory “in direct support of separatists.” Like other officials with access to classified intelligence assessments, he spoke on the condition of anonymity. | “The quantity and sophistication of weaponry being sent by Russia across the border is increasing,” one Western official said on Friday, adding that Russian artillery units have been firing into Ukraine from Russian territory “in direct support of separatists.” Like other officials with access to classified intelligence assessments, he spoke on the condition of anonymity. |
| Even as Russia has been firing into Ukraine, there has been rising concern about Russian forces positioned near the Russian-Ukrainian border. | Even as Russia has been firing into Ukraine, there has been rising concern about Russian forces positioned near the Russian-Ukrainian border. |
| A senior American official said last week that Russia had about 13,000 troops and more than half a dozen combined arms battalions near the border. On Thursday, another American official said that more units were headed to the border area, and that it remained to be seen whether they were being sent to reinforce the Russian forces or replace some of the troops there. | A senior American official said last week that Russia had about 13,000 troops and more than half a dozen combined arms battalions near the border. On Thursday, another American official said that more units were headed to the border area, and that it remained to be seen whether they were being sent to reinforce the Russian forces or replace some of the troops there. |
| By placing forces close to the border, the Russians can provide fire support to the separatists, prevent Ukrainian troops from establishing control over the border and facilitate the delivery of Russian arms to the separatists. The Ukrainian military has expressed frustration that at least two sections of the border remain porous. | By placing forces close to the border, the Russians can provide fire support to the separatists, prevent Ukrainian troops from establishing control over the border and facilitate the delivery of Russian arms to the separatists. The Ukrainian military has expressed frustration that at least two sections of the border remain porous. |
| One of the goals of the Russian artillery and short-range-missile attacks on targets in Ukrainian territory, an American official said, is to keep Ukrainian forces away from the border, making it easier for Russia to transport weapons and cooperate with the insurgents. | One of the goals of the Russian artillery and short-range-missile attacks on targets in Ukrainian territory, an American official said, is to keep Ukrainian forces away from the border, making it easier for Russia to transport weapons and cooperate with the insurgents. |
| American officials have said that a training area for Ukrainian separatists has been set up near Rostov in southwestern Russia, and that instruction has taken place there involving the use of major weapons systems, including air defense systems. | American officials have said that a training area for Ukrainian separatists has been set up near Rostov in southwestern Russia, and that instruction has taken place there involving the use of major weapons systems, including air defense systems. |