Russian forces mass on Ukraine's border: Fears rising tensions could spill into open war

• Separatist rebels shot plane over Luhansk, in the eastern part of the country
• It was struck after government forces launched an attack on rebels
• Ukrainian forces claim to have taken police station in rebel-held Luhansk
  
• Though separatists have lost ground, the attack shows they retain firepower
• Comes amid reports of fresh Russian military equipment entering Ukraine

By Mail Foreign Service

Published: 05:39 EST, 17 August 2014 | Updated: 03:59 EST, 18 August 2014

Escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine are on the verge of spilling over into open conflict.

Ukraine has accused Moscow of pushing more military equipment over the border, including three missile systems.

Rebel separatists Russia is accused of arming yesterday shot down a Ukrainian Mig-29 fighter jet, although the pilot managed to eject safely.

Scroll down for video

+16

High alert: Russian troops in Rostov, close to the border with Ukraine, as tensions escalated between the two countries

+16

Troops: Photographs taken on Saturday night show Russian forces massed near the main Moscow-Rostov highway, some ten miles from the border with Ukraine

The rebels had earlier boasted they were receiving 150 armoured vehicles, including 30 tanks, and 1,200 soldiers who were ‘trained in Russia’.

Moscow continues to deny sending military equipment or personnel into Ukrainian territory, but large convoys have been seen massing on the Russian side of the border.

Meanwhile some 16 lorries from a 280-strong Russian convoy carrying humanitarian aid for eastern Ukraine arrived at a rebel-held border crossing yesterday. Kiev insists any aid should cross a government-controlled part of the border. 

Burning buildings across Ukraine as crisis escalates

+16

Volunteers take an oath of allegiance to Ukraine, before being sent to the eastern part of the country to join the ranks of a special battalion fighting against pro-Russian separatists

+16

A Russian armored vehicle with servicemen atop on a road about 30km away from the Russia-Ukraine border. Meanwhile, pro-Russian separatists reportedly shot down a MiG-29 fighter jet in eastern Ukraine

+16

Trucks forming part of an aid convoy destined for Ukraine travel on a road to the border. Russia and Ukraine have been at loggerheads for days over a convoy of 280 Russian trucks carrying water, food and medicine

Ukraine appears to be making progress in efforts to quell the rebellion.

More than 2,000 people have been killed since mid-April, when Ukraine’s government sent troops to put down an uprising by pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Ukrainian forces yesterday took back a police station in the city of Luhansk, which had been held by pro-Russian rebels since April.

+16

Friends and relatives say goodbye to volunteers in Kiev before they are sent to the eastern part of Ukraine to join the ranks of a special battalion fighting against pro-Russian separatists

+16

Drivers of a Russian aid convoy of white trucks stand at a checkpoint on the Russian-Ukrainian in border in Donetsk. The convoy has been parked at the border for several days

A volunteer heading to fight pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine sits with members of his family before his deployment. Ukrainian officials have painted a picture of a separatist force that is on the run

After weeks of bitter clashes, the Ukrainian flag was raised above the building – in a move hailed by commanders as a crucial breakthrough.

But rebels continue to hold out in other areas and appear to be reinforced by fresh supplies of troops and equipment from over the border.

There is growing evidence Russia is directly supporting the rebellion, despite repeated denials from Moscow that seemed to be contradicted at the weekend by rebel leaders.

+16

Ukrainian soldiers took position at a checkpoint near the eastern Ukrainian city of Debalcevo on Friday. The rebels have lost significant ground to Ukrainian forces in recent weeks

+16

Fighting in Ukraine has escalated since the insurgency arose, with government troops steadily taking back rebel-held territory. Rebels hold their positions near the village of Krasnodon, eastern Ukraine on Friday

+16

The fighter plane was shot down after the military forces launched an attack on rebel forces. Yesterday they took position near the checkpoint of Debaltseve, in the Donetsk region

+16

Ukrainian soldiers walk on a road near the checkpoint of Debaltseve, in the Donetsk region yesterday. Rebel sources said that 10 civilians had been killed in the city of Donetsk over the past 24 hours

+16

Earlier this week, Ukrainian forces rolled towards a rebel stronghold in the Donetsk region. Donetsk, the largest rebel-held city, is also suffering through fighting including frequent shelling

+16

Fire blazes behind Ukrainian government soldiers after pro-Russian rebels shelled their base in Donetsk region earlier this week. Today separatist rebels shot down a Ukrainian government fighter jet

Alexander Zakharchenko, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said in a recorded video: ‘The following reserves have been gathered: 150 armoured vehicles, of which about 30 are tanks and the rest are BMPs and BTRs [infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers], 1,200 military personnel, who are there now, who underwent training for four months on the territory of the Russian Federation. They were brought into action at the most crucial moment.’

Photographs taken on Saturday night show Russian forces massed near the main Moscow-Rostov highway, some ten miles from the border with Ukraine.

One convoy, including 11 infantry fighting vehicles, was seen heading towards the frontier. Another convoy in the area includes 13 armoured vehicles and large trucks.

+16

Ukraine convoy carrying humanitarian aid for the Luhansk region. The city of Luhansk is encircled by Ukrainian forces and is reportedly suffering from severe electrical outages and shortages of food and medicine

+16

The plane was shot down over the Luhansk region after military forces launched an attack on rebels. The Ukrainian army sent military vehicles, pictured, to a rebel stronghold in the Dontesk region on Thursday