蜜芽传媒

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into two rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine, after recognising them as independent states. Russia said the troops have not yet been deployed but will be "peacekeeping" in the regions, which it has backed since 2014. The US said calling them peacekeepers was "nonsense", and accused Russia of creating a pretext for war. Several countries have announced sanctions in response.

Natalia Narochnitskaya, chair of the European Institute for Democracy and Cooperation in Paris and聽President, Foundation for Historical Outlook in Moscow, denies that there is a war. She says that the current military activity is merely a way of recognising the status of the territory, and that the evacuations of people from the Donetsk and Luhansk states was in response to shelling from Ukraine. (To date, there has been no official evidence of shelling from the Ukrainian side taking place). She goes on to say that Vladimir Putin was not denying the existence of Ukraine in an earlier speech, but he was merely commenting on how the formation of Ukraine is "burdening the politics now" and that his speech has been misinterpreted.

Photo: A pro-Russian rebels patrol area near separation line in Luhansk region Credit: Reuters