A Reuters witness saw columns of military vehicles including tanks early Tuesday on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised them as independent states.
Highlights
- A Reuters witness saw columns of military vehicles including tanks early Tuesday on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine.
- The appearance of the tanks came hours after Putin signed friendship treaties with the two separatist regions and ordered Russian troops to deploy on what Moscow called a peacekeeping operation.
- No insignia were visible, but the appearance of tanks came after the signing of friendship treaties between Russia and the separatist regions.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised them as independent states after signing friendship agreements with the breakaway region and ordering troops to go on a “peacekeeping operation” Moscow called the operation a “patriotic operation”