Russian Regular Forces Likely to Enter Eastern Ukraine, MP Says
The events in eastern Ukraine indicate the involvement of Russian special forces, which in turn may mean that Russian troops going into eastern Ukraine may be imminent, said Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Marko Mihkelson.
“Unfortunately, it can be said that Russia’s anti-Ukrainian activities are gathering pace, because using special forces indicates making preparations for a more wide-ranging operation,” he told Delfi on Sunday, adding that it poses a threat to the security of entire Europe and it must be stopped with hard-hitting economic sanctions.
Events in the Donetsk region demonstrate that the special operation underway there has clear links to Russian special services, Mihkelson told ETV on Saturday.
Mihkelson referred to the comments of the deputy prime minister of the annexed Crimea, who said Saturday’s events in eastern and southern Ukraine are the beginning of a “liberation”.
He said the authorities of Ukraine will find it hard to control the situation, because allegedly the son of former president Viktor Yanukovych is funding the police in the eastern part of the country to pressure them to not obey the central powers of Kiev.
According to Mihkelson, who is a member of the IRL faction, the separatists have two aims: to make the planned presidential elections as difficult as possible and, if necessary, to create suitable conditions for bringing in Russian troops.