ANKARA
Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko has said his country is fighting a war with Russia.
"Can I be absolutely clear with you: This is not a fight with Russian-backed separatists, this is a real war with Russia," Poroshenko said, speaking to the BBC on Tuesday.
"The fact that we captured Russian regular special forces fighters is strong evidence of that."
The Ukrainian army on Tuesday published photos and a video of two Russians captured during a battle in Lugansk, part of the eastern region in which the conflict with pro-Moscow separatists is still raging.
The men admitted on the video being part of the "Russian regular army." They said they entered the country with a larger force two months ago.
Moscow on Tuesday admitted that the two men had been part of the country’s armed forces but claimed that the men were no longer in their army.
Eight Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Monday in fighting in the eastern region, in despite of a ceasefire agreement signed in Belarus' capital Minsk on Feb. 12.
The Ukrainian government blames the renewed fighting on a buildup of Russian troops near the border. Russia denies having sent arms or soldiers into Ukraine.
Poroshenko said that Russia "is clearly preparing an offensive and I think we should be ready and not give them any chance for a provocation. That will be their own responsibility entirely."
More than 6,200 people have been killed so far in the conflict in Ukraine, according to UN statistics.
