Russia attacking us from neighbouring Belarus: Ukrainian border guards

The agency said that the Russian troops unleashed artillery barrage as part of an attack backed by Belarus.

A serviceman stands at his position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine. (Photo| AP) 

KYIV: Ukraine's border guard agency says that the Russian military has attacked the country from neighboring Belarus.

The agency said that the Russian troops unleashed artillery barrage as part of an attack backed by Belarus. They said that the Ukrainian border guards were firing back, adding that there was no immediate report of casualties.

Russian troops have deployed to its ally Belarus for military drills, a move that the West saw as a prelude to an invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv is about 75 kilometers (50 miles) south of the border with Belarus.