Ukraine: Russia sends troops to war-torn east amid tensions

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian authorities on Tuesday charged that Russia is sending tanks and snipers to the line of contact in war-torn eastern Ukraine to “provoke return fire,” an accusation that comes amid fears that a Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border might indicate plans for an invasion. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry released the statement just hours before a long-anticipated video call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the leaders are expected to discuss tensions over Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a tug-of-war since 2014, when Moscow annexed the peninsula of Crimea and threw its weight behind a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.