Russia: Russian army to enter Donbas only if separatists request it

Andrey Turchak, a senior member of Russia’s ruling party, said on Wednesday that the Russian army would enter two breakaway regions of Ukraine recognized by Moscow as independent states only if asked to do so by separatist leaders.

Turchak said, according to Reuters, that any such development would be “peaceful”.

Turchak and Denis Pushilin, the Russian-backed leader in Donetsk, told reporters that the Russian military was not yet present in the Russian-backed breakaway regions, despite Western claims that Moscow had a secret military presence there. years.

An eyewitness to Reuters saw phalanxes of military vehicles, including tanks, early Tuesday on the outskirts of Donetsk after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized them as independent states.

The Reuters reporter saw about five tanks in a phalanx on the outskirts of the city and two more in another part of the city. The insignia were not visible.

Pushilin told reporters that the forces in Donbas were not in the process of trying to expand their territory and would prefer to resolve any border demarcation issues with Ukraine peacefully.

Source: Capital

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