Ukraine accused Russian-backed separatists of attempting to provoke its military yesterday, as satellite images indicate that the Kremlin has dramatically increased the number of its warplanes massing on the countries shared border and in Crimea.
There are growing fears that Russia could repeat its 2014 military incursion into Ukraine, when Crimea was annexed and Moscow provided support for a nascent separatist movement in Ukraines eastern Donbas region.
Airborne troops, attack helicopters and reconnaissance drones have also been stationed near the border. Satellite images published by The Wall Street Journal show Su-30 fighters on a runway in Crimea. The photographs were taken on April 16, according to the newspaper. Images taken in late March do not show the aircraft. Images of locations elsewhere in