State Dept cites photo 'evidence' showing Russian troops in Ukraine

[depotoo]

State Department cites photo 'evidence' purportedly showing Russian troops in Ukraine | Fox News
Ukraine's government has been circulating images over the last several days to international organizations, claiming they show "Russian sabotage-reconnaissance groups" at work in two eastern Ukrainian towns.*"">ADVERTISEMENTTheir authenticity could not be independently verified, but State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday they help bolster claims of ties between Russia and armed militants in eastern Ukraine.*"So these are just further evidence of the connection between Russia and the armed militants," she said.*Psaki repeatedly described the images that way when pressed for more information at Monday's press briefing. She said they show "individuals who visibly appear to be tied to Russia."*

 

[depotoo]

 

[waltky]

Russia slams 'punitive' operation in Ukraine...

Chaos in southern Ukraine: Deadly fire, choppers down and street fighting
May 2, 2014 -- Ukraine alleges separatists are using human shields; Two helicopters have been downed, and a pilot is being held hostage, authorities say; Two Ukrainian soldiers are killed in an attack near Slavyansk; At least 31 people are dead following a fire in Odessa

Deadly street fighting, helicopters shot down and civilians being used as human shields. That was the picture that emerged Friday in southern Ukraine as violence escalated amid reports that dozens of people were killed in a fire and still more were shot dead or wounded in street fighting, raising the question of whether the country can stave off a possible civil war. The violence -- pitting pro-Russian separatists against Ukrainian forces and those who support the government in Kiev -- prompted an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, with Russia demanding an end to what it called Ukrainian aggression and Western powers accusing Moscow of funding the violence.

Ukrainian soldiers arrive to reinforce a checkpoint that troops seized Friday, May 2, in Andreevka, a village near Slavyansk. Two helicopters were downed Friday as Ukrainian security forces tried to dislodge pro-Russian separatists from Slavyansk, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said. The operation appears to be the most significant yet by the Ukrainian military against pro-Russian militias that have taken control of swaths of eastern Ukraine.

Russia and the West have squared off diplomatically over the fate of Ukraine, after Moscow annexed Crimea in March following the ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. He was pushed from office after months of protests by people upset that he had turned away from Europe in favor of Russia. The crisis in eastern Ukraine hit a boiling point with news Friday that security forces launched their most intensive effort yet to try to dislodge pro-Russian separatists, who have reportedly seized a number of government buildings in nearly a dozen cities and towns.

Helicopters downed

Two Ukrainian government helicopters were shot down in the flashpoint city of Slavyansk. The helicopters were brought down by fire from pro-Russian separatists, the Ukraine Ministry of Defense said. Five pro-Russian separatists and two civilians were killed in Slavyansk in a Ukrainian military operation, the city's self-declared mayor, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov. Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed during an attack in the village of Andriyivka, near Slavyansk, defense ministry said. The gunmen also blocked a bridge in the area, using local residents, including women, as shields, according to the ministry. Hundreds of miles away, in the Black Sea city of Odessa, at least four people were killed and another 40 were wounded in fighting, according to the regional police administration.

Another 32 people died after a fire was set at a trade union building amid clashes in the largely Russian-speaking Odessa, police said. Authorities initially reported 38 people had died, but later revised it. The circumstances involving the fire were not immediately clear. CNN cannot independently confirm the casualty counts. The violence came the same day that U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to seek harsher sanctions against Russia if Ukraine doesn't stabilize in time for elections this month. The two leaders warned Russia could face a new round of sanctions by the West, if it does not stop its actions in Ukraine. "There just has not been the kind of honesty and credibility about the situation there and the willingness to engage seriously" in finding a diplomatic solution, Obama said. But the threat seemed to do little to waive off Russia, with its Foreign Ministry saying Ukraine's use of its military in Slavyansk is criminal.

'Nail in the coffin'

See also:

Obama says US preparing for more Russia sanctions
2 May`14: WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says the United States and Germany are preparing to impose sanctions on Russia's economic sectors if destabilization continues in Ukraine.

Obama says he hopes not to have to use such sanctions, but will if Russia's disruptions threaten Ukraine elections scheduled for May 25.

So far, the U.S. has slapped sanctions on individuals but hasn't targeted entire economic sectors, such as Russia's energy sector. The sector sanctions could harm U.S. allies in Europe that do business with Russia, like Germany. Obama spoke at a news conference Friday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (AHN'-geh-lah MEHR'-kuhl).

Merkel says sanctions on sectors of the economy aren't her preference, but she's prepared to implement them. She says first her focus will be on trying to ensure the Ukrainian elections go on.

Obama says US preparing for more Russia sanctions

 

[depotoo]

Things are really heating up over there.

 

[R.C. Christian]

Well, what did everyone expect was going to happen after the U.S. empire botched a coup in Russia's front yard? LOL.