Russia-Ukraine crisis: Fighting near border raises fear of false flag attack

Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine have accused the government of opening fire on their territory in four separate incidents in the last 24 hours.

Separate reports of fire from grenade launchers, mortars and machine guns have been reported in a statement released by "representatives of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic", Al Jazeera reported on Thursday evening.

"Armed forces of Ukraine have crudely violated the ceasefire regime, using heavy weapons, which, according to the Minsk agreements, should be withdrawn," the separatists said in a statement.

Ukrainian Army soldiers pose for a photo as they gather to celebrate a Day of Unity in Odessa, Ukraine on Wednesday. Photo / AP

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has been carefully monitoring the situation in eastern Ukraine, but has retracted some of its monitors following reports Russia has begun to retreat some of its forces from the border.

Reuters reported the Ukrainian military immediately denied the separatists' accusations that government troops had launched attacks, saying it was "the rebels who shelled the Ukrainian military".

US intelligence agencies said this month they believed Russia might fabricate a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine - a "false falg" event - possibly by producing videos showing a staged attack. Russia dismissed that.

Several similar incidents between the government and rebels have occurred over the past eight years.

A Ukrainian serviceman carries an NLAW anti-tank weapon during an exercise in the Joint Forces Operation, in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine. Photo / AP

It comes as NATO prepares to bolster its forces in the region, a move likely to antagonise Vladimir Putin as the stalemate in the region reaches fever pitch.

Putin has been repeatedly warned to march back his forces, consisting of some 200,000 troops and artillery, amassing at the border.

Highly-placed sources said preparations to defend the besieged nation would continue – despite reports the Russian leader was withdrawing 10,000 troops from the frontline.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, centre left, is shown NLAW anti-tank weapons during a military drill outside the city of Rivne, northern Ukraine. Photo / AP

Civilians including children have been photographed being trained to use rifles, as anti-war sentiment grows in the embattled nation. A massive Unity March protest on the streets of Kyiv saw defiant Ukrainians fly banners promising Russia the nation "will resist", with several banners targeting Vladimir Putin directly.

Despite the unrest, reports say the majority of locals remain relaxed, with many going about business as usual as the conflict, now running for some eight years, rears its head again. Ukraine security forces on Wednesday revealed two of the country's state-owned banks have been targeted in a cyber attack.

The country's Ministry of Defence website also reportedly crashed on the same day, sparking fears a Russian cyber attack may point to an imminent invasion.