NATO: Russia Just Significantly Escalated The Crisis In Ukraine

NATO on Friday condemned the entry of a Russian "humanitarian" convoy into Ukrainian territory without the consent of Ukrainian authorities, an event Ukraine charged was a "direct invasion."

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the Russian convoy had entered into Ukraine without its government's consent and without any involvement from the Red Cross. Rasmussen warned it would only escalate the crisis in the region to worrying levels, and he suggested it threw into question whether Russia's true purpose for providing the "humanitarian" aid was to supply arms to pro-Russian separatists.

"This is a blatant breach of Russia's international commitments, including those made recently in Berlin and Geneva, and a further violation of Ukraine's sovereignty by Russia," Rasmussen said. "It can only deepen the crisis in the region, which Russia itself has created and has continued to fuel. The disregard of international humanitarian principles raises further questions about whether the true purpose of the aid convoy is to support civilians or to resupply armed separatists."

In a statement, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said "a column of more than 100 vehicles entered Ukrainian territory without a customs inspection, without border control or International Red Cross escort, which is a flagrant violation of international law."

Rasmussen also said NATO has observed a "major escalation" in Russian military involvement in the region over the past handful of days. Separately, a U.S. official told CNN's Barbara Starr that Russia now has up to 18,000 "combat-ready" troops near the Ukrainian border.