Ukrainans claim proof of Russians leading separatist forces
KIEV-- Ukraine's president warned Thursday that rebels backed by Russia may be planning a large scale offensive against government troops.
The two sides have been fighting over territory in the east for the last year, leaving more than 6,000 dead.
The Ukrainian Army has always insisted that Russian soldiers are leading the separatist rebellion in Eastern Ukraine. Now they claim that two men -- paraded on local TV -- are living proof of that. Russia denies they were active duty soldiers.
Sgt. Alexander Alexandrov was shot in the leg when he was captured in May. He confirmed that he was serving with Russian special forces when he was sent to Ukraine with 200 other soldiers on a secret mission.
"When I came to Ukraine I trusted the government. I thought the war was necessary," he said. "Now that's changed drastically."
Alexandrov said he feels abandoned by his country and was shocked to see his wife on Russian television supporting the government's claim that he resigned from the army last year.
"Those were not her words, they were rehearsed," he said. "That's what she was asked to say."
In a jail run by Ukraine's intelligence agency, CBS News also met Russian captain Yevgeny Yerofeyev. He was much more careful with his words.
He was asked if he understood that this was a secret mission. His response: "Next."
He said he did not want to answer that question. "It's well known that some Russian military personnel are located in Ukrainian territory."
Then he was asked if the Russian government continues to deny that.
"Next."
But Vitaliy Naida said the facts are clear. He's the head of counterintelligence for Ukraine's C.I.A. and estimates there are 8,000 Russian soldiers in Eastern Ukraine territory.
"They fire missiles, they instruct locals, those separatists, how to use machine guns, how to use modern Russian grenade launchers," he explained. "So Russians play a dominant role in the military conflict."
But what is his reaction when President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government say these were not active duty soldiers?
"Putin lies to all the world that there are no armed Russian forces on the territory of Ukraine, he's a liar," Naida said.
International monitors in Eastern Ukraine said Thursday that heavy weapons systems have been spotted moving towards front line positions held by the separatists. There is a real concern that the ceasefire there could be break down.
