The Russian President, Vladimir Putinasked the Senate on Tuesday to authorize the sending of troops to support the pro-Russian separatist territories of eastern Ukraine, after having recognized their independence.
The Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankovread the request of the head of state before the upper house, meeting in extraordinary session, arguing that “on the borders of the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk an army has been deployed [ucraniano] of 60,000 men and heavy armor”.
“We have no other choice,” Pankov said. “We must defend the people of these young states. I ask them to support the President’s proposal,” he said.
Russia has deployed some 150,000 troops to Ukraine’s borders, raising fears of a full-scale invasion.
The request is based on mutual assistance agreements with the separatists ratified on Tuesday.
These agreements, with a duration of ten years, create “the legal basis for the presence” in those territories “of the Russian military units necessary to maintain peace in the region and guarantee the lasting security of the parties,” according to an explanatory note that accompanies them.
The documents “establish the obligations of the parties to provide mutual assistance if one of the parties is the object of an attack” and “provide for the joint protection” of the borders.