Don't Arm Ukraine, Russia Tells The West

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Moscow has hit out at calls for the West to arm Ukraine in the fight against rebels in the east of the country.

A Kremlin spokesman said it would be regarded as an attempt to destabilise the situation - as would an extension of sanctions against Russia.

The warning came ahead of further talks on Wednesday aimed at ending the 10-month Ukraine conflict, which has cost more than 5,300 lives since April.

The meeting, in the Belarussian capital Minsk, follows last week's discussions between Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko, led by Germany and France.

According to Russia's RIA news agency, the talks will focus on withdrawing heavy weapons, creating a demilitarised zone in eastern Ukraine and starting a dialogue between Kiev and the rebels.

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Gallery: Ukraine Crisis: Fighting Intensifies

A destroyed Ukrainian Army tank outside Uglegorsk, 6km (4m) southwest of Debaltseve

Pro-Russian separatists' ammunition and an armoured vehicle in Uglegorsk. The EU has put fresh sanctions against Moscow on hold ahead of further talks to thrash out a lasting peace deal

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A pro-Russian separatist fighter. President Barack Obama said the United States had no desire to "weaken" Russia, but the West had to impose a penalty for Moscow's aggression in Ukraine

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Part of a Ukrainian Army tank destroyed in fighting

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Pro-Russian separatist fighters ride on the top of an armoured vehicle

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RIA quoted a source in Minsk as suggesting the main sticking point would be the demilitarised zone.

Europe's security watchdog, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), France and Germany want Russia to oversee it., but Moscow wants the OSCE to take control, the source was quoted as saying.

US President Barack Obama has come under increasing pressure to provide military aid to Ukraine amid claims Russia has been arming the rebels with heavy weaponry - claims denied by Moscow.

After meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington on Monday, Mr Obama said he had ordered his team to see "whether there are additional things we can do to help Ukraine bolster its defences in the face of Russian aggression".

Britain has said it will keep its decision not to arm Ukraine under review as it "could not allow" its armed forces to "collapse".

"It is a national decision of each country in the NATO alliance to decide whether to supply lethal aid to Ukraine," Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told MPs.

"The UK is not planning to do so but we reserve the right to keep this position under review."

He added: "We share a clear understanding that while there is no military solution to this conflict we could not allow the Ukrainian armed forces to collapse."

A peace deal was reached last Autumn but it has been repeatedly been violated by both sides, and bloodshed has increased significantly in the past two weeks.

On Tuesday at least 20 people were killed in heavy fighting and rocket strikes on Ukraine's military headquarters in the east and a nearby residential area.

Regional police said at least six civilians had been killed and 21 injured in the strike on the town of Kramatorsk, about 50km (30m) from the front lines.

Officials said the rockets had been fired from the rebel-controlled Horlivka area, some 50km from Kramatorsk.

Earlier, the Ukrainian national guard reportedly launched an offensive against pro-Russian separatists near the strategic south-eastern port city of Mariupol.

The day before, a powerful explosion rocked a chemical plant in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk after shelling by government forces.

Ukraine says fighting has been particularly intense around the town of Debaltseve, a major rail and road junction northeast of Donetsk.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 Russian reconnaissance troops have started month-long exercises in southern Russia, Interfax news agency has reported.

More than 600 are said to be in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in March.

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