Russia concentrates troops on the border with Ukraine

Armed forces of Russia have concentrated on the Ukrainian-Russian state border in the east of Ukraine, said at  the press briefing on Friday Yevhen Perebiynis,  Director of Information Policy Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

He noted that today the situation has not changed significantly , maneuvering of  the Russian Armed Forces along the border with Ukraine continues. So, yesterday, two columns of 50 armored personnel carriers, tanks, 6 , 8 "Grad " and 300 military vehicles moved from Rostov to the side of the state border of Ukraine in the area with the Donetsk region. According Perebiynis , the Russian side has stopped admitting Ukrainian citizens at the border crossing "Gukovo."

Meanwhile, today German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Putin had a telephone conversation.

According to UNIAN , Merkel called on Putin to appeal to separatists in eastern Ukraine and encourage them to lay down their arms , and that Moscow's behavior after the Geneva Conference on April 17  is "quite disappointing."

Merkel expected that Russia will actively apply the Geneva agreement, but it did not happen .

"If there are not changes, Russia must be ready for new sanctions,"  said a spokesman for Chancellor, Sheybert .

He also noted that the OSCE observer mission in Ukraine needs support, but  on  Friday the connection  with mission has gone. According to UNIAN agency, members of the mission could be captured  by the separatists. -02D-