Ukraine Crisis: Merkel to visit as Russian convoy returns

This picture from Ukrainian President Petro
Poroshenko's Twitter account shows preparations
for National Day celebrations, which will be taking
place as Mrs Merkel visits Kiev
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to arrive
in Ukraine, a day after calling Russia's decision
to send an unauthorised aid convoy there a
"dangerous escalation".
More than 100 Russian lorries entered eastern
Ukraine on Friday, without permission from
Ukraine's government.
After travelling to besieged rebel-held areas,
some of the lorries have now begun crossing
back into Russia.
Western officials fear the convoy could be part of
a military intervention.
But Kremlin officials say the vehicles are only
carrying generators, food and drink.
The lorries had already been waiting at the border
for a week, while Russia, the Ukrainian
government and the Red Cross tried to come to
an agreement on their passage.
The Russians said they could not wait any longer,
owing to the worsening humanitarian situation in
eastern Ukraine, which is held by pro-Russian
separatists.
Four months of fighting in the region have left
more than 2,000 people dead. More than 330,000
people have fled flee their homes.
'Violation of soveignty'
At least 220 trucks drove into Ukraine on Friday,
headed for the rebel-held city of Luhansk, which
has been affected by weeks of fighting between
Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels.
International monitors based in the border region
say that some of the vehicles have now crossed
back into Russia, a development confirmed by
Russian news agencies.
The White House and the Ukrainian government
both described the deployment of the convoy as a
flagrant violation of Ukraine's sovereignty.
People in Avdiivka are having to collect water
from a well because supplies have been cut in the
fighting
In a phone call, US President Barack Obama and
Mrs Merkel said the conflict "has continued to
deteriorate" since a Malaysian airliner was
downed last month over rebel-held territory, with
the loss of all 298 people on board.
Ukraine called the Russian convoy a "direct
invasion" of Ukraine.
Nato and the European Union have also criticised
what they said was a violation of Ukraine's
sovereignty.
Nato officials have accused Russia of building up
troops on its border, saying significant numbers
of Russian forces are operating within Ukraine,
using artillery.
But speaking to the UN Security Council, Russia's
UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin accused Western
powers of distorting reality.
"Sometimes it reminded me of the kingdom of
crooked mirrors because some members of the
Council were not concerned about the fact
hundreds of civilians are dying."
He said Russia had to act to save perishable
goods and that he hoped the Red Cross would
help distribute the aid.
"We waited long enough. And it was time to
move, and this is what we did," he said.