News / Foreign Policy

Russia: US crossed all lines to bring Ukraine to orbit

Friday, 17 April 2015 9:51 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 18 April 2015 11:03 AM ]

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R), and his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu

Russia says the United States has crossed all possible lines in pursuit of its military and political ambitions, as hundreds of American troops arrived for a “training mission” in Ukraine.

"The United States and its allies have crossed all possible lines in their drive to bring Kiev into their orbit. That could not have failed to trigger our reaction," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told an annual security conference in Moscow on Thursday.

"Aiming at complete dominance, Washington stopped taking into account the interests of other countries and respect international law," he added.

Russia says Washington is responsible for the escalating tension in Ukraine through sending arms in support of the Ukrainian army.

Western governments, however, have long accused Russia of destabilizing Ukraine by supporting pro-Russian forces in the eastern regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin once again denied the allegations on Thursday, reiterating that "there are no Russian troops in Ukraine."

The US Army said in a statement on Thursday that about 300 US troops arrived in Ukraine to train the Ukrainian National Guard. (file photo)

The US Army said in a statement later in the day that about 300 US troops arrived in Yavoriv, western Ukraine, on Tuesday and Wednesday to train the Ukrainian National Guard.

The troops will spend six months for the so-called training mission, during which three battalions of Ukrainian troops would be trained.

The Kremlin said in a statement on Friday that the deployment of the paratroopers could further destabilize the situation in the east of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russian forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations to silence pro-Moscow protests in mid-April 2014.

Violence intensified later in May after the two flashpoint regions held local referendums in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine and joining the Russian Federation.

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