OSCE PA President Kanerva called on Russia to close its border with Ukraine to help counter the increased violence in the Donbass region.

MOSCOW, January 27 (Sputnik) — The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has called on Russia to close its border with Ukraine following intensified hostilities in Donbass.

"Russian leaders have spoken of their support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine," OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva said.

"In keeping with that pledge, I call on Russia to close the border to halt the flow of any weapons or fighters – whether volunteers or not – which may be entering eastern Ukraine."

The OSCE PA president also said that the provision of humanitarian aid to the war-torn eastern Ukrainian regions should be considered if the border was closed.

Kanerva noted the escalation of the eastern Ukrainian conflict refering to the recent Mariupol attack. He welcomed the OSCE declaration that calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Earlier today, Moscow called on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to provide proof that Russia has troops in Ukraine.

Last week, Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council claimed that two battalion tactical groups from the Russian Armed Forces had apparently crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border.

However, the US State Department was unable to confirm these allegations. According to OSCE observers based at two border crossing points at the Russian-Ukrainian border, there had been no movement of military equipment over the border.

Since the start of the government forces' military assault on eastern Ukraine's independence supporters in April 2014, Kiev and the West have repeatedly accused Russia of intervening in the Ukrainian crisis. The accusations went as far as to claim that Moscow sent troops and weapons to help the independence militias.

However, the Kremlin has dismissed the claims as not corroborated by any evidence.