A rebel leader in eastern Ukraine h

A rebel leader in eastern Ukraine has said a convoy of military hardware is on its way to the region from Russia.

Alexander Zakharchenko, self-proclaimed PM of the Donetsk rebel area, said on Friday 150 vehicles and 1,200 personnel were approaching their border.

Russia has denied claims by Ukraine and Western reporters that military aid to the rebels is crossing over.

Meanwhile a controversial humanitarian aid convoy from Russia is stalled on the Russian side of the border.

The convoy is apparently awaiting inspection by Ukrainian border guards, as Russia, Ukraine and the Red Cross decide how the aid will be delivered.

On Friday Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu assured his US counterpart Chuck Hagel that there were no Russian military personnel involved with the convoy, nor would it be used as a pretext for further intervention.

Journalists inspected some of the vehicles on Friday.