Ukrainian forces fighting rebels. -Reuters
Ukraine is claiming that Russian forces have crossed the border. Reuters. NATO officials claim that well over 1000 Russian troops are both in a support role for the rebels and are actively involved in the fighting. The accusation comes after a major counter-offensive has broken out in southeastern Ukraine, forcing troops to withdraw from the important port of Novoazovsk. Reuters reporters confirm seeing troops dressed in uniforms and using equipment consistent with the Russian military. NATO and the European Union are weighing their options.
For their part the Russians are denying everything. -RT. The Russians claim to have zero troops in Ukraine and claim there is no evidence otherwise. They also claim that Novoazovsk was abandoned after a ten shell artillery barrage.
My Comment:
I tend to trust the Reuters report then the Russian one. Obviously RT is propaganda, and while the same could be said for western media the fact of the matter is that the conditions are right for Putin to move. The last strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk were about to fall, the humanitarian conditions were deteriorating and the chances of Ukraine finally winning were higher then they had ever been before. Putin probably felt he had to act.
As for the war itself, if it is legit then I don't see Ukraine winning. Russia has a much larger military, local support and very little chance of any outside interference. They will end up winning in the long run, but the cost in lives and money will be high. Sanctions will be coming as well and there is a very good chance that U.S.- Russian relations will deteriorate even further.
I'll have an update on this situation later tonight.
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