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Putin orders troops to breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent on Monday and ordered the Russian army to launch what Moscow called a peacekeeping operation into the area, accelerating a crisis the West fears could unleash a major war.
[...] Russian state television showed Putin, joined by Russia-backed separatist leaders, signing a decree recognising the independence of the two Ukrainian breakaway regions -- the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic - along with agreements on cooperation and friendship.
Defying Western warnings against such a move, Putin had announced his decision in phone calls to the leaders of Germany and France earlier, both of whom voiced disappointment, the Kremlin said.
As Putin sends troops into Donbas, White House avoids the 'I' word
As Russian armored columns were seen entering the two areas, it was clear that the order will immediately reconfigure the European security landscape as capitals across the continent scramble to respond to the possibility that has long faced them: a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“This was a speech to the Russian people to justify war,” a senior administration official told reporters Monday.
The official, who requested anonymity in order to discuss sensitive issues, wouldn’t call the move an invasion, however, saying “Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step. Russia has had forces in the Donbas for the past eight years.”
It’s an important distinction, as an invasion would trigger sanctions on Russia and imperil diplomatic meetings that were set on the condition that Russia not invade Ukraine.
Still, the official said they “strongly suspect sanctions activity” from the Biden administration on Tuesday.
After announcing he would recognize the regions, Putin met with Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, leaders of the Russian-backed rebel forces and signed documents pledging cooperation and aid.
See also: The U.S. warns that Russia has a 'kill list' of Ukrainians to be detained or killed
U.S. sanctions Russia for declaring independence of eastern Ukraine territories
‘Dumb and lazy’: the flawed films of Ukrainian ‘attacks’ made by Russia’s ‘fake factory’
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 23 2022, @02:21AM (2 children)
No it isn't. Ukrainian oligarchs took money from transiting Russian gas and began courting Western politicians and NATO. Ukraine is the 2nd largest natural gas reserve in Europe but the gas would be expensive to extract and it's a corrupt country dominated by oligarchs. Zelensky decided to target the oligarchs, [kyivpost.com] they in turn wanted him gone. Zelensky then began crying about Russian invasion as a matter of political survival and Ukraine's economic survival. [moderndiplomacy.eu]
Where's that "whataboutism" now?
You miss the point, again! There are no good guys in this story.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday February 23 2022, @02:52AM
The problem with that story is two-fold. First, it's not even remotely substantiated. This one guy is a mind reader and he's just telling us stuff. Second, it's four weeks old and gets the important Russian actions completely wrong.
Now, some of those same troops are playing war games in eastern Ukraine which is not 160 miles away from the border. Who knows where they'll be playing war games next, but that was a massive fail.
All over your post. Again, neither Hunter Biden nor Ukrainian graft explains Russian actions. I find it amazing you can't seem to see it.
That just shows that we need a better world with better stories.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday February 23 2022, @03:02AM