Ukraine Claims It Destroyed Russian Armor Units, Russia Says ‘Nyet’ – War Imminent?
Ukraine has fired upon and destroyed armored Russian vehicles that crossed over into Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, and his official website. The president of Ukraine also claims to have discussed the incident with British Prime Minister, David Cameron.
The action was in response to “the information regarding the entry of Russian armored fighting vehicles to the territory of Ukraine,” says the website.
Ukraine claims international journalists as witnesses to the Russian armor coming over into Ukraine, specifically the Guardian newspaper. The site also says the President acted due to information Ukraine received and felt was “trustworthy”.
The result of the Ukrainian assault, which Ukraine claims to be confirmed, is that the, “majority of the Russian military armored vehicles had been destroyed by the Ukrainian artillery at night.”
The statement goes on to say that the British Prime Minister strongly supports Ukraine and their actions.
According to RT, however, and other international media reports, Russia’s Defense Ministry says no such attack occurred, they hadn’t even entered Ukraine, and none of its military units had been destroyed. In fact, according to Russia, the “destroyed Russian military column” that supposedly entered Ukraine never even existed:
“No Russian military column that allegedly crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border at night or during the day ever existed,” said a Major General and spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov. “Such statements – based on fantasies, or journalists’ assumptions, to be precise – should not be subject for a serious discussion by top officials of any country.”
With Ukraine and Russia giving such totally contradictory statements on a very significant event that may or may not have happened, the world is left to watch and wait to see what, if anything will happen. Ukraine taking out Russian armored units, whether they crossed the Ukraine border or not, is likely not something Russian President Vladimir Putin would take lightly.
At the same time, with more and more Ukrainian and Western media outlets reporting on the alleged “significant” number of Russian military vehicles destroyed, something definitely seems to have occurred.
Vox attempts to read between the lines to get a better handle on the situation by exploring what has been confirmed, and what hasn’t, while also asking, “Did Russia and Ukraine just start a war?”
According to Vox, whether or not Russia did cross into Ukraine is answered by a noteworthy third party, NATO:
“Last night we saw a Russian incursion, a crossing of the Ukrainian border,” NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday. Rasmussen also said this isn’t the first time.
Again, Russia denies it, but this is the same Russia that recently, and clandestinely, invaded and annexed neighboring Crimea.
Along with whether or not Ukraine did in fact take out some Russian armor, other unknowns include what Russia’s response will be; if Russia’s intent is to invade Eastern Ukraine a al Crimea; and how Europe and the U.S. will react as the potentially dire situation continues to unfold.
Talks between Ukraine and Russia are currently scheduled for Sunday in Berlin.
Image via RT
