US says Russia air defence systems inside Ukraine

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday accused Russia of building up air defence systems inside eastern Ukraine and of involvement in training exercises of pro-Russian rebels in breach of a European-brokered truce.

"This is the highest amount of Russian air defence equipment in eastern Ukraine since August," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said in a statement.

She said the increasingly complex nature of the training exercises "leaves no doubt that Russia is involved."

Fighting has picked up in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks despite the ceasefire agreed in February, with each side accusing the other of violence. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday he believed a surge in ceasefire violations had however passed.

But Harf said Russia was building up its forces along the Ukrainian border.