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Former Russian soldier reveals that Putin has sent troops into Ukraine!
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The ceasefire that was agreed to in Minsk by the leaders of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia did not last even a day before Russian supported rebels broke it by shelling the besieged town of Debaltseve which prompted a withdrawal of Ukraine forces.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
2/22/2015 (1 decade ago)
Published in Europe
Keywords: Europe, Ukraine, Russia, European Union, International, U.S.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Separatist leaders claimed that the Debaltseve region was not part of the ceasefire agreement because they considered it their territory, and while some perhaps could believe this, the Russian-backed rebels' next move probably surprised no one.
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In violation of the February 12 ceasefire agreement, the rebels have pushed against the city of Mariupol, which if seized, would allow Russia to move freely overland to its recently annexed territory of the Crimean peninsula.
While this is a severe breach of the treaty, what is occurring in Russia is evening more horrifying, and foreshadows the conflict that will erupt in Ukraine.
Numerous human rights groups have been receiving complaints, since the start of 2015, from Russian conscripts who report that they have been forced or tricked into signing contracts with the military to become professional soldiers, and are then sent to the southern Rostov region, which borders Ukraine.
Russian law prohibits conscripts from being deployed abroad, so many families worry that their young soldiers may be sent to fight with the rebels in eastern Ukraine.
Many soldiers actually say that is exactly what is happening.
A soldier who went by the name of Alexander, during an interview with the Associated Press, revealed that he had been pressured into becoming a professional soldier. His mandatory one year of service would end in October of 2014, but he said that his commander told him that he had no choice but to resign and head to Rostov for drills.
Alexander managed to end his service and flee on December 31. He was being threatened with prison for desertion but managed to avoid punishment only after reaching out to NGOs who gave him legal assistance.
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Russian officials have denied that they have been sending weapons and soldiers into Ukraine, which much of the West has accused them of doing since the Ukrainian Maiden revolution occurred last year.
Numerous reports of tanks, armored vehicles and sophisticated weapon systems have been reported crossing over from Russia, and these reports match up with new weapons and equipment that the separatists end up using.
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