Update from our news desk on alleged Russian troop movements in eastern Ukraine
Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko says Russia has launched an “intensive deployment of military equipment and personnel” from Russia territory into parts of eastern Ukraine that are controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
Lysenko’s announcement came as residents of separatist-controlled areas were voting in controversial elections on November 2.
AFP reporters near Donetsk say they saw a military column of about 20 trucks, some carrying anti-aircraft guns, heading toward the government-held airport -- although it was not clear whether they were new forces.
Several other Western media outlets also reported witnessing heavy movement of troops near Donetsk.
Among them, reporters for the news sites buzzfeed.com and mashable.com tweeted that they had seen a large military column.
Buzzfeed's Max Seddon wrote: "31 unmarked Kamazes (military trucks) just drove past towards Donetsk. Anti-aircraft weapons, ammunition boxes, radar systems, a bus of gunmen."
The "observer," Ewald Stadler, is heading the "ASCE" observer group mentioned in an earlier post.
Kyiv claims "intensive" movement of Russian troops into Ukraine
AFP quotes Ukraine's military spokesman Andriy Lysenko saying, "there is intensive deployment of military equipment and personnel of the enemy from the territory of the Russian Federation onto territory temporarily controlled by insurgents."
Doctors protest in Moscow
Meanwhile, in central Moscow a gathering of medical professionals upset about coming "restructuring" of public healthcare. According to our Russian Service, over 1,000 people came out to Suvorov Square to protest the changes, which could result in the dismissal of 30 percent of doctors and nurses and the closure of 18 hospitals in Moscow.
High turnout or just few polling stations?
Protests outside separatist-held territories
Mariupol:
Kyiv, where internally-displaced people from Donetsk and Luhansk are apparently holding a pro-Ukraine rally:
Separatist "vote" in photos
"Novaya Gazeta" correspondent Evgeny Feldman has already taken some remarkable photos of the proceedings today.