Russia’s Proxy War on Ukraine Becoming Open War
Russia is firing artillery at Ukrainian military targets across the border, and plans to send new advanced rocket weaponry to pro-Russia fighters in eastern Ukraine, according to a July 24 statement by the United States State Department.
“We have new evidence that the Russians intend to deliver heavier and more powerful multiple rocket launchers to the separatist forces in Ukraine, and have evidence that Russia is firing artillery from within Russia to attack Ukrainian military positions,” State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said during a news briefing.
A U.S. defense official, quoted by the Wall Street Journal, said the direct artillery fire from Russia began “about the same time” Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in eastern Ukraine. That tragedy killed 298 people in what was either a tragic mistake made by zealous supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin, or an intentional act of terrorism. Either way, it is undeniable Putin helped create the conditions that led to the disaster and bears some responsibility for it.
Because of the link to him, and the outcry from the West that followed, many expected Putin to show remorse after the tragedy. They expected the disaster would soften him—at least for a short time. Instead, as this “new evidence” shows, he intensified Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.
Other recent developments also show that Putin was unfazed by the Malaysia Airlines disaster.
First, since the earliest reports broke concerning Flight MH17, a heated info-war has raged from Moscow with the most outlandish explanations imaginable given for the cause of the crash. This successfully obscured the truth in the minds of many onlookers, making the facts seem permanently unattainable.
Then, just days after the tragedy, Putin’s forces in Ukraine shot down two Ukrainian fighter jets. The forces claimed to use shoulder-fired missiles, but the Ukrainian military said the jets were flying at almost 17,000 feet—an altitude beyond the reach of such missiles. This points clearly to Russian military involvement.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed Twitter posts from July 25 allegedly showed columns of Russian military vehicles making their way, once again, to the Ukraine border.
https://twitter.com/MarQs__/status/492737327610232832
These developments show that, in the face of international criticism and increased sanctions, Putin has not helped pull back pro-Russia forces. Instead, he has increased his support for them and is giving them assistance at unprecedented levels.
The question becoming more relevant with each passing day of the Ukraine crisis is this: Who is Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and why is he having such a deep impact on global affairs?
The answer and its implications are more fascinating than anything you could imagine.
To learn the answer, read “Is Vladimir Putin the Prophesied ‘Prince of Rosh’?”
This clip reportedly shows a Russian BM-21 firing on military targets in Ukraine from across the border in Gukovo, Rostov Oblast.
