Ukrainian forces launched an airstrike in the Donbas region on Wednesday. It is the first time TB-2 drones were used to destroy military equipment in the region. It is claimed the military equipment which was destroyed fired on the village of Granitne.

       In tandem with the annexation of Crimea, pro-Kremlin forces clashed with Ukrainian troops in the Donbas region in 2014.

       The region is on the border of Russia and Ukraine and has seen a large number of troops amass from both states.

       A peace deal was signed in Minsk in 2015 but that has not stopped sporadic conflict in the region.

       Russian officials have also accused Ukraine of attempting to escalate tensions in the region.

       Rodion Miroshnik, who represents the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic warned escalation may be imminent and wrecked any chance of settling on a roadmap out of the conflict.

       He said on Tuesday: "Ukraine wrecked the discussion of the settlement roadmap.

       "The Ukrainian negotiator used various tricks to divert the dialogue from the discussion of the roadmap.

       "As a matter of fact, nothing new happened.

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       "Only Ukraine’s plans are becoming more evident and clear.

       "Kiev is deliberately seeking to ruin any formats of agreements and their implementation."

       Further claiming its pursuit for peace, Vladimir Putin insisted Russia was committed to implementing the Minsk agreement.

       In a call with Boris Johnson, a transcript read: "Vladimir Putin laid out in detail Russia’s approach to the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine on the basis of the unconditional implementation of the Minsk agreements."

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       Despite Russia's claims, Ukrainian officials have warned there have been several ceasefire violations this year prior to the drone strike on Tuesday.

       Ukrainian officials have also accused Russia of dispatching 41,000 troops to the border.

       Earlier this year, White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki warned Russian troop numbers had been at their highest level since 2014.

       She admitted the US is concerned by Russian aggression in the region.

       She said: "The US is increasingly concerned by recent escalating Russian aggressions in eastern Ukraine, including Russian troop movements on Ukraine’s border.

       "Russia now has more troops than at any time since 2014."