U.S. condemns Russian convoy’s move into Ukraine

As reported in 'The Japan News' : U.S. condemns Russian convoy’s move into Ukraine 11:10 pm, August 23, 2014 The Associated Press Drivers of the first trucks of the Russian aid convoy are parked in the city of Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, on Friday.

The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP)—The Obama administration on Friday denounced the movement of a Russian convoy into Ukraine, citing it as the latest provocation by Moscow along the highly volatile eastern border of the former Soviet republic. “We very much condemn the violation—flagrant violation—of Ukraine’s sovereignty that we saw today with the movement of this Russian convoy into Ukraine,” said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser to President Barack Obama. Rhodes also said the United States has detected the use of Russian artillery in Ukraine in recent days. According to the White House, Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by telephone Friday and agreed the presence of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, the buildup of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border and Russian shelling into Ukraine represent dangerous escalations of tensions by Moscow. The White House said the two leaders agreed that the convoy was yet another provocation by Moscow that violates Ukraine’s sovereignty. Obama and Merkel spoke Friday while Obama vacationed in the island resort of Martha’s Vineyard. Rhodes said Russia would face additional costs if the convoy is not removed. Russian trucks begin to leave DONETSK, Russia (AP)—Trucks marked as being from a bitterly disputed Russian aid convoy to Ukraine began returning to Russia on Saturday. An Associated Press reporter counted 67 trucks entering the border crossing in the Russian city of Donetsk before noon Saturday. Another AP reporter on the Ukrainian side of the border said a line of trucks about three kilometers long was waiting to cross.