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Russian 'peacekeeper' troops enter Russian controlled east Ukraine
[ArmyTimes] Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered forces Monday to "maintain peace" in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine in a further escalation of tensions that followed the Kremlin’s recognition of the areas’ independence despite warnings of sanctions and international condemnation.In response to his earlier move recognizing separatist republics of Luhansk and Donestk, a senior Biden administration official said that the White House is assessing those moves and will determine what additional actions, likely in the form of sanctions, it will take, in the coming hours. "We will continue to consult with our allies and partners about both diplomatic solutions and the consequences we will impose on Russia, should it further invade Ukraine," said a senior administration official during a Monday evening press call. There are already more than 150,000 Russian troops surrounding Ukraine. The official pointed out that Russian troops have repeatedly entered the region since Russia invaded in 2014, during which time more than 14,000 people have been killed in fighting. But he declined to set a red line on what further incursions would prompt an additional U.S. response. "Just in the last hour, we’ve seen Russia or troops to deploy into the DPR and LPR for so called peacekeeping functions," said the senior administration official, who declined to confirm reports by the Russian Interfax news agency and social media posts showing additional Russian forces entering the Donbas. A Ukraine military official told Military Times Monday night that a new wave of Russian troops had entered the Donbas in the wake of Putin’s order. Posted by: Lord Garth 2022-02-22 |
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