Kremlin: Reports Of Donbas Shelling 'Seriously Concerning'

Kremlin states that the Russian gov't is 'seriously concerned' about the apparent flare-up in violence in eastern Ukraine.

• Kremlin: 'Hopes that people will not believe fake reports about new possible Russian invasion date'.
• Kremlin: Moscow has repeatedly issued warnings over concentration of Ukrainian forces near contact line [between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas].
• Kremlin: Russian Defence Ministry has a precise plan for withdrawaing forces following war games.
• Kremlin: Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Putin that cetain phases of drills near Ukraine and in Crimea were nearing their end and forces involved in them will return to base when exercises end.
• Tensions remain extremely high in the region. This morning EU leaders meet ahead of a summit with the African Union to discuss the crisis. German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht used similar lines to those by Western leaders and ministers yesterday stating that her gov't and allies had not seen definitive proof of Russian withdrawals or planned withdrawals from Ukraine border.
• Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida set to hold talks with Putin on the crisis as early as today. Japan and Russia remain in something of a diplomatic freeze over contested ownership of the Kuril Islands/Northern Territories.