Russian tanks enter Ukraine: NATO concerned

(Vatican Radio) The NATO military alliance says is it is looking into reports of Russian tanks entering Ukraine. Kiev warned Friday that dozens of military vehicles already entered Ukraine from neighboring Russia to support pro-Russian separatists in the country's war-torn east.

Listen to the report by Stefano Bos: 

Ukraine's government said an armoured column including 32 tanks and 30 trucks crossed into eastern Ukraine from Russia. 

The military claimed trucks were carrying ammunition and fighters.  

And after talking to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he had noted ‘significant’ violations of the Minsk peace process.

RUSSIAN INVASION? 

It was not clear whether the alleged arrival of Russian forces was part of a full-scale Russian invasion after Moscow already annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. 

But NATO said it was investigating the reports. 

The alliance also noted an increase in Russian troops and equipment along the border with Ukraine. 

NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the Russian behaviour was unacceptable. 

"Russia continues to support the separatists by training them, by providing equipment and supporting them by also having special forces, Russian special forces inside parts of Ukraine,” Stoltenberg complained. 

MOSCOW DENIES

Moscow has denied supporting the rebels with troops or equipment, saying any Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine are freelance "volunteers".   

Military tensions added to suffering of residents in eastern Ukraine who have been mourning after two schoolboys were killed by shelling as they played football.

Four others were injured when the artillery shell hit a school sports field Wednesday in Donetsk city. 

Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists blame each other for the latest bloodshed in their conflict that has now killed over 4,000 people, with more victims expected.