Ukraine Answers to Russian Allegation on Soldiers Casualties

Ukraine has denied Russian claims stating that five of its service personnel were killed on Monday in a firefight near the two countries shared border.

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Pavlo Kovalchuk, a military spokesman of Ukraine, affirmed that the country's armed forces have neither attacked Donetsk and Lugansk nor sent saboteurs across the border. He claimed that forces of the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk have shelled themselves to increase the ongoing tensions. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has also pronounced on the issue, denying as well any intrusion.

The incursion of a small reconnaissance unit into Russia's Rostov Region around 6am local time was denounced by the Russian Army. When Russian forces were sent to confront the intruders, two Ukrainian armored infantry vehicles crossed into Russia as well, Moscow claims.

According to Moscow, as a result, both Ukrainian vehicles were destroyed and five service members were killed. Moscow said that there were no casualties among the Russian troops and border guards.

Russian officials also denounced an earlier shell launched from Ukraine, which destroyed a border guard post. No one was hurt in the reported incident. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of trying to get them into a conflict.

Both sides blamed each other for violating the truce during the recent flare-up between the Ukrainian Army and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

The two breakaway states claimed that Ukraine was planning a well-developed attack. The rebels mobilized military-age men and are evacuating civilians to Russia. The Ukrainian military, for its part, refuses plans of returning the two breakaway regions forcefully.