Ukraine says it stopped Russian 'invasion' but Kremlin calls claims 'fairy tale'

Ukraine said it foiled the invasion of Russian troops disguised as peacekeepers, whilst Moscow dismisses claims as 'fairy tales'

Zachary Davies Boren
Sunday 10 August 2014 00:47 BST
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Ukraine said it has foiled the invasion of Russian troops disguied as peacekeepers
Ukraine said it has foiled the invasion of Russian troops disguied as peacekeepers

Disguised as peacekeepers and intent on provoking a significant military conflict, Russian troops were stopped from entering Ukraine following talks between both countries' foreign ministers, according to the Ukrainian government.

Russian officials, however, claim that this is just a “fairy tale” from Kiev to make it seem as though they are enjoying success in the field.

“A huge military convoy accompanied by Russian soldiers and equipment was moving towards the Ukrainian border, allegedly by agreement with the Red Cross,” deputy head of Ukrainian President Poroshenko’s administration Valery Chaly said.

“A humanitarian column with ‘peacekeepers’ was to enter the territory of Ukraine, clearly to provoke a full-scale conflict,” he said via Ukraine’s presidential press service.

President Poroshenko then reportedly held urgent meetings with his security chiefs, whilst Ukrainian and Russian Foreign Ministers Pavlo Klimkin and Sergei Lavrov discussed stopping the convoy’s progress.

“As of now, the danger of provocation has been removed, but operational staff continue to work,” Chaly concluded.

The Russian Foreign Ministry mocked Ukraine for its claims, with spokesperson Maria Zakharova saying: “Each time Kiev is more and more inventive in creating fairy tales.

“The (Ukrainian) National Guard probably have to report about their achievements in the field, so they pretended they have some.”

President Putin’s office also denied the goings-on.

The Red Cross has denied involvement in a Russian convoy, saying that if supplies were received from Russia they would be distributed “according to our own modalities and methodology”.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry maintains that the situation is not yet entirely defused, and that Russian forces are provoking and intimidating: “Against a background of numerous violations by Russia of the border regime with Ukraine and deliveries of weapons, equipment and mercenaries, Ukraine has enough grounds for believing that this convoy can be used again for further escalation of tension.”

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