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"The deployment continues of military equipment and Russian
mercenaries to the front lines," spokesman Andriy Lysenko said
in a televised briefing referring to Thursday's cross-border
incursion.
The report of a new Russian movement of armor across the border
follows a charge on Thursday by pro-Russian rebels in eastern
Ukraine that Kiev government forces had launched a new offensive
- which Kiev immediately denied.
Sporadic violence has continued since a Sept. 5 truce in a
conflict that has cost over 4,000 lives.
But the ceasefire has looked particularly fragile this week,
with separatists and the central government accusing each other
of violations after separatist leaders held elections in
self-proclaimed 'people's republics' last Sunday.
"Supplies of military equipment and enemy fighters from the
Russian Federation are continuing," Lysenko said. He added that
five Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 16 wounded in the
past 24 hours despite the ceasefire.
(Reporting by Natalia Zinets; Writing by Alessandra Prentice and
Richard Balmforth)
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