Heavily Armed 'Men In Green' Enter East Ukrainian Villages

Heavily Armed 'Men In Green' Enter East Ukrainian Villages

MOSCOW, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Unidentified, heavily-armed strangers with Russian accents have appeared in an eastern Ukrainian village, arousing residents' suspicions despite Moscow's denials that its troops have deliberately infiltrated the frontier.

Two witnesses told Reuters on Tuesday that the dozens of men, who arrived at the weekend and set up a road block, were not local and had military ration packs marked with Russian writing.

While they wore no insignia, their appearance or behavior bore striking similarities to a group of Russian troops detained in Ukraine in the past few days, and to Russian forces which occupied Crimea earlier this year, the witnesses said.

The men had white arm bands, the same identifying mark that was worn by 10 men captured a few kilometers (miles) away by Ukrainian forces and who, in video released on Tuesday, said they were Russian paratroopers.

Ukraine accuses Russia of sending weapons and soldiers to fight alongside pro-Moscow rebels in the country's east, a charge the Kremlin has denied throughout the five-month conflict.

If it turns out that Russian soldiers are fighting in Ukraine, that could deepen yet further the crisis, which is the focus of talks on Tuesday between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart in Minsk.

Geoffrey Pyatt, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said in a Twitter post: "The new columns of Russian tanks and armor crossing into Ukraine indicates a Russian-directed counter-offensive may be underway."

Kolosky is about 7 km (4 miles) from Dzerkalniy, a settlement where Ukrainian officials said they had detained the 10 Russian troops featured in the video footage.

Russian news agencies cited a source in the Russian defense ministry as saying the paratroopers had strayed into Ukraine by mistake during an exercise. One of the men said in video footage released by Ukraine's security services that they had been instructed to put on white arm-bands.

Click link for remainder of article...

Looks Like Putin is continuing to lie about Russian forces being inside of Ukraine.

The green men with no insignia's are back and have entered East Ukraine.

I really don't understand what Putin thinks he is going to accomplish, aside from political and economic sanctions / isolation from the world.

Who says he is trying to accomplish anything?

Perhaps he is only playing games - ya know much like Western countries like to play games with countries who do not 'play ball' so to speak.

Perhaps he is doing it because he can and as an act of defiance against the new government in Ukraine.

Perhaps he wants a sanctions war with the West and is egging them on.

Perhaps he is simply doing it to annoy people like you - in that aspect he sure seems to be succeeding.

Whatever the case - I do not know why you are making such a damn big deal about it. Everybody else has moved on from the Ukraine. Every major country has their playgrounds - get over it.

a reply to: Xcathdra

If Putin knows there will be war then he's getting in early to strengthen Russia's strategic position.

a reply to: lightedhype

AAAAAhahahahahahahhahhaha

Thanks.. I needed that.

How about all the claims Russia is not interfering in Ukraine coming from Russia.

Why are you ok with Russia invading a neighboring country? Why should we just "move on" and get over it? That cowardly appeasement resulted in WWII.

originally posted by: EA006
a reply to: Xcathdra

If Putin knows there will be war then he's getting in early to strengthen Russia's strategic position.

Getting in early? He has been there the entire time.

originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: lightedhype

AAAAAhahahahahahahhahhaha

Thanks.. I needed that.

How about all the claims Russia is not interfering in Ukraine coming from Russia.

Why are you ok with Russia invading a neighboring country? Why should we just "move on" and get over it? That cowardly appeasement resulted in WWII.

Hahahaha and I needed that, don't forget who destabilized Ukraine in the first place, and isn't it convenient how this story breaks just as, and even Putin himself said, there were positive peace talks regarding the Ukraine. As per so much going on in the Ukraine right now (inc MH-17), something still smells here.

a reply to: Zcustosmorum

The smell is wafting across the border from Russia.

Why would they be told to put on white arm bands, something directly connecting them to the others? Remember in Crimea the separatists were given Russian weapons and DF camo but were not actually people from Russia...

originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: Zcustosmorum

The smell is wafting across the border from Russia.

Maybe, but the smell of Ukranian corpses killed by Kiev shells is more lingering

a reply to: lightedhype

Whatever the case - I do not know why you are making such a damn big deal about it. Everybody else has moved on from the Ukraine. Every major country has their playgrounds - get over it.

Regardless of where the blame ultimately lies with all of this I find your statement disheartening at best and callous at most. You do know there are over 2000 people dead in Ukraine now right? And that number is steadily rising.

Nor everyone has "moved on" as you put it. Ukraine is more than a simple playground and what happens in the region could easily effect the future of humanity.

This is looking like an open confrontation. Now that they made an agreement with their arch-rival China, they are provoking the West. NATO is not going there. This is still like when Hitler grabbed Austria then Czechoslovakia - in slow motion. Watch for Moldavia. Far-rightists will stage incidents in the EU to side with Russia.
They even lie to their own soldiers - as they did in 1956 Hungary: the occupying troops got out of the tank and they were surprised not to be in the Suez Canal, but in Budapest, fighting enraged civilians. Some lay their arms down.

originally posted by: Ridhya
Why would they be told to put on white arm bands, something directly connecting them to the others? Remember in Crimea the separatists were given Russian weapons and DF camo but were not actually people from Russia...

Actually the non insignia people in Crimea were in fact Russian soldiers.

RT - Putin acknowledges Russian military serviceman were in Crimea

Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that Russian troops were present in Crimea before the referendum and argued that was necessary to let Crimeans make the choice on the future of the region.

The armed men in military uniform without insignia, dubbed “the little green men” or “the polite people,” who were present in Crimea before and during the referendum there, were Russian troops, Vladimir Putin acknowledged speaking at a Q&A session with on Thursday. The president said he never concealed the fact from his foreign counterparts, and explained to them that it was the only way to ensure the referendum on the region’s status would be carried out peacefully.

“Crimean self-defense forces were of course backed by Russian servicemen,” Putin said. “They acted very appropriately, but as I’ve already said decisively and professionally.”

Putin had to touch upon the Crimea topic multiple times throughout his Q&A session. He emphasized that Russia did not acquire Crimea by force, but created, with the help of its special forces, conditions for Crimeans to decide upon their own future.

Also, "Prior to" is key in that it was an invasion.

originally posted by: Zcustosmorum

originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: Zcustosmorum

The smell is wafting across the border from Russia.

Maybe, but the smell of Ukranian corpses killed by Kiev shells is more lingering

Its hard to tell with the smell from the MH17 shootdown by pro Russian / Russians. Not to mention the summary executions by Pro Russian / Russians invoking a law dating back to the Soviet Union from the 1940's.

a reply to: Kokatsi

Hopefully the Russian military has changed enough to figure out they are being lied to.

The ultimate blame still resides with the man who gave the order - Putin.

As for NATO they have already stated any Russian troops overtly entering Ukraine would be considered an armed invasion of Ukraine and would act accordingly. Same comments have come from the various nations ambassadors in the UN as well.

So Russia gets to mess with Ukraine and Georgia, possibly Moldova. After that they are done. Something tells me though, based on Putins actions to date, those wont be enough. He wants the former orders back of the old soviet union and its not going to happen.

I still maintain this is nothing but a personal vanity exercise for Putin. He is stuck in the cold war and it shows in his actions and comments. Do you really think surrounding nations who all of a sudden see an increase in "Russian nationalism" are going to just say "oh well" and not think anything of it?

Its not the cold war, its not the Soviet Union, and the world no longer is required to believe what Putin claims.

a reply to: Xcathdra

Its hard to tell with the smell from the MH17 shootdown by pro Russian / Russians.

You know there is zero proof that pro-Russian separatists or Russians shot the plan down right? If there is definitive proof I'd love to see it (really.) Maybe those ATC recordings..?? Nope confiscated by Kiev Secret Service. How about that black box data..?? Nope locked down under "non-disclosure" agreements. Guess they simply don't want the info getting out to the public. Might show who really shot that plane down.

Those looters who were shot got what was required in a war zone IMO. Regardless of the year the law was made.

Just saying.

a reply to: Xcathdra

What the hell! That contradicts what they said before! Politicians cant do that!!
That's messed up. I was under the impression they deliberately armed others to have the plausible deniabilty.

a reply to: Bassago

I am merely pointing out that not all 2000 people killed were killed by Ukrainian artillery. There is no evidence to support that comment.

Its sad that you point out my comment while ignoring the other. I guess deaths only matter if they can be blamed on Ukraine for you.

If that's not the case then please, explain why you have issues with my comment and not the other?

As for looters maybe you should read the article. They were not killed for looting. Secondly, IO find it sad that you will excuse the killing of a person for trying to survive yet don't support pro Russian rebels being executed for looting from civilians like they have been.

Your excuses are sickening.

This isn't the first time suspicious troops have shown up, they showed up in Kiev and Crimea I believe. About Russia acting out, it seems to me like most countries are turning a blind eye to it, besides international sanctions.

originally posted by: Xcathdra

originally posted by: Zcustosmorum

originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: Zcustosmorum

The smell is wafting across the border from Russia.

Maybe, but the smell of Ukranian corpses killed by Kiev shells is more lingering

Its hard to tell with the smell from the MH17 shootdown by pro Russian / Russians. Not to mention the summary executions by Pro Russian / Russians invoking a law dating back to the Soviet Union from the 1940's.

Yeah right, Western governments sign a non-disclosure agreement on MH-17 and you still believe that crap? Wake up. And oh yeah, that law, the one the Russians were accused of breaching without evidence being provided to actually prove it.

Putin's popularity my have just taken a hit - lying to the Russian people and being called out for it.

Kremlin is Caught Putting Boots on the Ground in Ukraine

MOSCOW, Russia — Hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko sat down for their first serious peace talks in Minsk on Tuesday, angry families of Russian paratroopers gathered outside a military base at Kastroma, deep in the Russian heartland. They demanded to know who had deployed their sons and husbands to Ukraine, where ten members of of the 331st Airborne Regiment of the 98th Division were captured on Monday afternoon, and others may have been wounded and killed.

Officially, the Kremlin has denied the Russian army gives active support to rebels fighting in the separatist republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, and the division's commanders repeatedly promised the relatives some explanation, but, really, there was not much they could say. Their boys had already appeared on videos released by Kiev.

The Kremlin’s strategy ever since it staged the secession and annexation of Crimea earlier this year has been to deny any active role, and when discovered, continue to issue blanket denials until its objectives were accomplished. Thus it continues to obfuscate about the role it allegedly played supplying rebels with the sophisticated antiaircraft missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing almost 300 innocent civilians. Thus it dismissed charges by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Friday that Moscow had state “a major escalation” since mid-August, including the use of Russian forces, Russian artillery, and transfers of advanced weapons including armored personnel carriers and tanks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov responded by complaining of regular “disinformation about our ‘incursions.’”

But the issue of the captured paratroopers is harder to deny and much more politically sensitive inside Russia. While the essentially bloodless annexation of Crimea was hugely popular and there is widespread sympathy for the Russian-speaking rebels in the regions of eastern Ukraine known collectively as Donbass, the Russian public does not want to see Russian boots on the ground there. The latest polls published by Public Opinion Foundation earlier this month showed that only 5 per cent of the Russian population expects the Russian army to be deployed across the border.

The soldiers from the 331st Airborne were captured by Ukrainian security forces after a firefight on Monday afternoon near the village of Dzerkalne in the Donetsk region, according to officials in Kiev, who released videos of four detainees being questioned at a Ukrainian military camp.

Click link for remainder of article..

Apparently Russian families wants to know why their children are inside Ukraine.