NATO chief says seen more Russian tanks in Ukraine

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO said on Wednesday it had seen an increase in the numbers of tanks, artillery pieces and other heavy military equipment being used by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine and renewed a call for Moscow to withdraw.

Jens Stoltenberg, the Western alliance's secretary-general, told a news briefing that NATO had monitored Russian troops in Ukraine for several months and an increase lately in the amount of equipment. He declined comment on specific numbers of troops. Russia denies Ukrainian accusations that its forces are present.

(Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; editing by Barbara Lewis)