2014-08-29 10:04:00

West Says Moscow Lying As Russian Troops Enter Ukraine


(Vatican Radio)-- Western powers say Moscow has "outright lied" about its role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, after Kiev said Russian troops had entered the country backed by tanks and artillery.

Listen to Stefan Bos' report:  

The United States warned Moscow of more sanctions amid tensions with Russia's representative at the United Nations Security Council, while the NATO military alliance released satellite images that it claimed confirms the alleged Russian invasion. 

U.S. President Barrack Obama spoke with Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and made clear that both agreed Russia must face more sanctions for sending troops and heavy weapons into eastern Ukraine to support pro-Russian separatists. 

"We agree — if there was ever any doubt — that Russia is responsible for the violence in eastern Ukraine," Obama said. "The violence is encouraged by Russia. The separatists are trained by Russia, they are armed by Russia, they are funded by Russia."

He added that, "Russia has deliberately and repeatedly violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and the new images of Russian forces inside Ukraine make that plain for the world to see."This ongoing incursion into Ukraine will only bring more costs and consequences for Russia," Obama warned.   

POROSHENKO INVITED

Obama invited Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to visit him at the White House next month to discuss the reported Russian invasion. 

The NATO military alliance believes at least 1,000 Russian troops are already in Ukraine, with satellite images showing Russian self-propelled artillery units and other military movements. 

"These latest images provide concrete examples of Russian activity inside Ukraine but they are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the overall scope of Russian troop and weapons movements,” explained NATO's Brigadier General Nico Tak.

Russia's involvement in Ukraine led to heated to exchange of words at the United Nations Security Council, where America's U.N. ambassador Samanta Power accused Russia of lying. 

"At every step, Russia has come before this Council to say everything except the truth. It has manipulated, it has obfuscated, it has outright lied," Power said. "So we have learned to measure Russia by its actions and not by its words. In the last 48 hours, Russia’s actions have spoken volumes," she added. 

MAJOR TURNAROUND

In a major turnaround, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin did not deny his country's military presence in Ukraine, but offered a spirited defense. 

"The escalation of the situation in the southeast of Ukraine has become a direct consequence of Kiev’s criminal policies, which is waging a war against its own people," the envoy claimed. “With support from and under the influence of a number of well-known states, the Kiev authorities have torpedoed all political agreements on settling the crisis in Ukraine,” he added. 

While they talked, more people were killed and injured in eastern Ukraine, including in Donetsk where a desperate woman was seen crying while an injured person was rushed to hospital.

Ukrainian forces are now fighting on two fronts: southeast of rebel-held Donetsk, and along the nation's southern coast in the town of Novoazovsk as part of a conflict that has already killed thousands and injured many more.  








All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©.