.jpg)
.png)
.jpg)
Merkel in Ukraine visit as crisis mounts
Western leaders agree that Russian convoy, which entered Ukraine without Kiev's permit, is a new provocation by Moscow.
Merkel believes Russia must remove the convoy and withdraw from Ukrainian territory
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to visit Kiev for talks, a day after calling Russia's decision to send an unauthorised aid convoy there a "dangerous escalation".
The US and Germany denounced the movement of a Russian aid convoy into Ukraine without permission from Kiev, calling on Moscow to stop dangerous escalations in its neighbour country. US President Barack Obama and Merkel discussed the crisis over the phone on Friday after more than 100 Russian lorries entered eastern Ukraine on Friday without permission from Ukraine's government.
Some of the lorries have now begun crossing back into Russia. Kiev and Western officials fear the convoy could be part of a general military intervention by Russia. But Kremlin officials say it is only carrying generators, food and drink.
The lorries had already been waiting at the border for a week. The Russians said they could not wait any longer, owing to the worsening humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine, which is held by pro-Russian separatists.
At least 90 trucks crossed the border into eastern Ukraine on Friday, Reuters reported. It was thought they were escorted by pro-Kremlin separatists and later entered Luhansk.
The trucks were loaded with water, generators and sleeping bags intended for civilians of the besieged city, where pro-Russian separatist fighters are besieged by Ukrainian forces.
More than 200 trucks had been held at the border zone over Ukraine's concerns that Russia had not complied with International Red Cross rules regarding humanitarian aid.
Several of the vehicles had been cleared by both countries' customs authorities on Thursday and were waiting for the green light to enter Ukraine from an ICRC team that had been overseeing the operation.
Ukraine has expressed repeated fears that Russia may be using the vehicles to smuggle in weapons to pro-Kremlin rebels who have been battling government forces for more than four months.
Russia has consistently denied that it is arming separatist rebel groups operating in the eastern cities of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Four months of fighting in the region have left more than 2,000 people dead and caused more than 330,000 people to flee their homes.
