BERLIN- Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk called on Russia's Vladimir Putin today to block the border to Ukraine to prevent guerrillas entering the country, adding that if Russian influence was eliminated the crisis could be ended swiftly.

"The situation in the east is deteriorating. A number of trucks full of live ammunition, full of Russian-trained guerrillas crossed the Russian border into Ukraine," Yatseniuk said.

"We ask Russia and Putin to block the border to Ukraine. If Russia is out of this game we can handle this situation in a week, but as they are supporting and financing them, and providing them access to Ukrainian territory this creates huge difficulties for us."