Kiev claims Russian forces have entered Ukraine

“I have made a decision to cancel my working visit to the Republic of Turkey due to the sharp aggravation of the situation in Donetsk region... as Russian troops were actually brought into Ukraine,” Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko said in a statement. The news was confirmed to Reuters by an unnamed NATO military officer. “We assess well over 1,000 Russian troops are now operating inside Ukraine... They are supporting separatists (and) fighting with them.” Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk asked the world to take “effective steps” as Russia had “unleashed a war in Europe.” Moscow denies the reports saying that the country is not involved in any way in the conflict. The fighting in the south-east Ukraine escalated greatly in the last few weeks. After significant advances made by government forces, pro-Russian separatists launched a counter-offensive and have regained significant portions of the territory. They now control the coast town of Novoazovsk and are threatening to takeover a strategic port in Mariupol.