Dozens of heavy Russian military vehicles were dispatched along the border with Ukraine on Friday, as the Russian convoy carrying humanitarian aid was brought to a halt 12 miles short of the frontier.

Controversy has surrounded the convoy, which Moscow says is carrying 2,000 tonnes of water and aid for civilians in eastern Ukraine, as western countries and the Ukrainian government believe it could be a pretext for a Russian invasion.

Russia has rejected speculation that it could use the humanitarian convoy to cover a military operation, describing it as "absurd". However Reuters and The Guardian have both reported that dozens of armoured personnel carriers (APCs) had in fact crossed the border into Ukraine.

On Monday, NATO officials said there was a "high possibility" of Russia invading Ukraine - fears that were shared by the government in Kiev - citing the 40,000 Russian troops along the border as a clear indication of Russia's intentions.

Moscow replied saying that it has no intention to invade Ukraine, saying it was merely conducting military exercises along the border between the two countries, while it also denied supplying weapons and troops to the pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine.

Officials for the Ukrainian government said that if the humanitarian convoy was to enter the country without permission from the authorities, it would be seen as an illegal Russian intrusion.

On Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry said it was negotiating with the Red Cross and the Ukrainian government and it hoped a deal could be brokered to allow the convoy into Ukraine.

The United Nations said more than 2,000 people have been killed since the conflict began four months ago, while reports indicated that people living in the rebel-held cities of Donetsk and Luhansk face shortage of water, food and electricity.

DC

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