US releases images of suspected Russian military systems in Ukraine

Washington: The US government Saturday released satellite images that, it said, show the presence in eastern Ukraine of artillery and air defence systems sent by Russia to the separatist rebels.

The black-and-white pictures were posted on Twitter by the US Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt, who said the government of President Barack Obama is "sure" that all this armament belongs to Russia and not to the separatists.

On Friday, the spokesperson for the US State Department, Jen Psaki, accused Russia of continuing to deploy a "large amount" of heavy weapons and air defence systems around the Ukrainian town of Debaltseve.

"The Russian military has deployed a large amount of artillery and multiple rocket launcher systems around Debaltseve, where it is shelling Ukrainian positions," Psaki said.

Furthermore, "Russian units along the border with Ukraine are preparing a large shipment of supplies to pro-Russian forces fighting in eastern Ukraine", the spokesperson said.

According to the Ukrainian high command, all day Saturday the separatists' artillery had been hammering Debaltseve neighbourhoods, which have been the scene of bloody battles for several weeks.

The pro-Russian rebels say that in that area they have surrounded more than 6,000 Ukrainian troops, a number that the Ukrainian defence minister has denied.

The new outbreak of fighting comes just hours before midnight, when the ceasefire agreement reached at the Minsk summit by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France takes effect.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Saturday that Kiev hopes for a "victory of common sense over sick imperial ambitions" and that the ceasefire agreed upon is observed.

This week, Obama expressed his preference for a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian conflict but noted that, if such is not achieved, he will weigh several options including the provision of arms to the Kiev government.