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US Pics of Gunmen in East Ukraine Allege Involvement of Russian Troops

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The US government unveiled photos of unidentified uniformed gunmen in eastern Ukraine on Sunday that it alleges suggest the involvement of Russian military and intelligence forces in regions where pro-federalization protests are raging, The New York Times reported.

WASHINGTON, April 21 (RIA Novosti) – The US government unveiled photos of unidentified uniformed gunmen in eastern Ukraine on Sunday that it alleges suggest the involvement of Russian military and intelligence forces in regions where pro-federalization protests are raging, The New York Times reported.

“There has been broad unity in the international community about the connection between Russia and some of the armed militants in eastern Ukraine, and the photos presented by the Ukrainians last week only further confirm this, which is why US officials have continued to make that case,” Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, was quoted as saying Sunday.

On Sunday, Klaus Zillikens, the head of the OSCE monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine, told the Ekho Moskvy radio station that there is no proof that Russian troops are involved in the seizing of government buildings in Donetsk region.

"There are signs of foreign consultants working in the Ukrainian territory, but no clear proof of that," said Zillikens.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his annual question and answer session with the public, once again denied allegations of a Russian military presence in Ukraine, describing them as “nonsense.”

“There are no Russian units, special services or instructors in the east of Ukraine,” said Putin.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier called on the US and its allies to stop laying the blame for the unrest in southeastern Ukraine at Russia’s doorstep. He rebuked accusations coming from US Secretary of State John Kerry and elsewhere that pointed to an alleged involvement of “Moscow’s hand” in the ongoing pro-federalization rallies in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv.

The protesters themselves have also repeatedly denied having received help from the Russian military or intelligence services.

Mass rallies in Ukraine have been ongoing since March. Citizens of eastern, predominantly Russian-speaking regions have called for federalization and referendums on greater autonomy.

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