Russia claims new 'proof' Ukraine was planning attack on Donbas

Moscow, March 9: Russias Defence Ministry has claimed that its obtained secret documents that "prove" Kiev was planning an attack on Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. The Reuters news agency says the Ministry has published six pages of documents that "prove" Kiev was planning a military assault on the Russian-backed rebel regions in Donbas, the BBC reported.

Reuters says it can not independently verify the documents, written in Ukrainian, which appear to outline combat preparations for tactical military units.

In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two Russian-backed regions in east Ukraine, the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, as independent states. Later, Putin ordered troops into the two regions, before the war in Ukraine began.