Ukraine and Russian Leaders Meet, after Soldiers Captured

Local Editor

The presidents of Russia and Ukraine hold key talks Tuesday with little hopes for a breakthrough in the conflict pitting Moscow against pro-Russian separatist rebels.

Kiev ratcheted up tensions by announcing hours ahead of the talks it had captured 10 Russian soldiers on its territory, while Washington accused Moscow of escalating the conflict with repeat military incursions.

Ukrainian President Petro and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are due to meet in Minsk alongside top EU officials and the leaders from Kazakhstan and Belarus, in a bid to defuse tensions that some fear could trigger direct hostilities between Russia and Ukraine.

US National Security Adviser Susan Rice slammed Moscow for "military incursions" into Ukraine using artillery, air defense systems, tanks and troops, representing a "significant escalation" in the conflict.
"Repeated Russian incursions into Ukraine unacceptable. Dangerous and inflammatory," she wrote on Twitter.

Kiev's security service said paratroopers from Russia's 98th airborne division were captured about 50 kilometers southeast of the main rebel stronghold of Donetsk.
"Officially, they are at exercises in various corners of Russia. In reality, they are participating in military aggression against Ukraine", Defense Minister Valeriy Geletey said on his Facebook page.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the rebellion in Ukraine and demands Kiev halt its punishing offensive.

A Russian defense ministry source described the captured soldiers Tuesday as having crossed into Ukraine "by accident".
The soldiers had been "taking part in patrolling a section of the Russian-Ukrainian border; they crossed it most likely by accident, on an unequipped, unmarked section", Russian news agencies quoted the source as saying.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reacted earlier saying suggesting it was more "disinformation" about Russian activity.
On the ground there appeared no end in sight to the four months of conflict that has already claimed some 2,200 lives.

It was unclear whether Poroshenko and Putin would hold bilateral talks during the meeting in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
The two met briefly in France at ceremonies to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings at the beginning of June.

Officials from the EU and Russian-led Customs Union were set to discuss the crisis as well as trade following the signing of key political and economic agreements by Ukraine's new pro-Western leaders with the European Union in June.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website