RIGHT SPEAK: Ukraine Accuses Russian Troops of Attacking Its Forces

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (centre) paid
respects to victims of a bus attack earlier on Tuesday

The Ukrainian military has accused Russia of attacking its forces as fighting in eastern Ukraine spreads towards the Russian border.

Military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said regular Russian units had attacked in the Luhansk region, much of which is under pro-Russian rebel control.

Russian-backed separatists sit atop a tank at a checkpoint
north of Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, Jan. 14, 2015.

Heavy fighting was under way near the town of Slovyanoserbsk, he said.

Russia denies sending troops into Ukraine but acknowledges "volunteers" are fighting for the rebels.

There has been no independent confirmation of the latest Ukrainian allegation.

A rebel rocket launcher stands beside a cemetery in
Donetsk city

Meanwhile Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko cut short his visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to return home in view of the "worsening situation" in the east, his spokesman said.

The Vienna-based Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which has monitors deployed in Ukraine, has called for an immediate ceasefire.

Ukrainian soldiers in Kiev carry the coffin of a
comrade killed in Luhansk

More than 4,800 people have been killed and some 1.2 million have fled since the rebels took control of parts of Luhansk and Donetsk in April.

Fighting flared up again last week as the rebels fought the Ukrainian government for control of the ruined airport at Donetsk.

Two civilians were killed in the rebel-held city on Tuesday when a shell exploded at a bus stop.

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Speaking at a specially convened news conference, Mr Lysenko said: "Ukrainian military units were attacked in the north of the anti-terrorist operational zone by regular military formations of the armed forces of Russia.

"Heavy fighting is continuing near [Ukrainian army] checkpoints 29 and 31," he said, referring to the area around Slovyanoserbsk, 32km (20m) north-west of Luhansk.