Posted on 03/04/2014 10:35:42 AM PST by Army Air Corps
President Putin claimed on Tuesday that "well prepared" and organized protesters in Kiev who brought down the Yanukovych regime were "trained in Poland and Lithuania".
In his first in-depth comments since the Russian parliament gave the green light for military action in Ukraine on Saturday, Vladimir Putin told a press conference in Moscow, "look how well they were prepared."
"They underwent preparation in bases in Lithuanian and Polish border areas, and [of course] in Ukraine itself. Their instructors were ready for a lengthy time, you saw how they were prepared, like special forces, they were even divided up into squads," Putin told journalists.
On Saturday, the vice-president of the Russian Federation Council claimed that "gunmen who took over power in Kiev were trained in Poland and Lithuania".
The Polish defence ministry categorically denied the accusations on Tuesday.
A confident looking Russian president said today that, "there can be only one assessment of what happened in Kiev, in Ukraine in general. This was an anti-constitutional coup and the armed seizure of power. No one argues with this," he said.
Putin said Russia reserved the right to use all options in Ukraine to protect compatriots living in "terror" but that Moscow would use force only as a last resort.
"As for bringing in forces. For now there is no such need but such a possibility exists," he said. "What could serve as a reason to use military force? It would naturally be the last resort, absolutely the last."
Ping.
Come on Vlady seriously really Vlady really LOL!
I don’t think Putin has any ideas on Poland and Lithuania but he got embarrassed by Ukraine. I don’t expect him to let that stand. We may end up with East and West Ukraine before this is over.
I and old Polack told me about killing...
“Germans for duty, Russians for pleasure...”
an old Polack... I meant to type.
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Yep. Same song, different verse.
If they were trained in Poland they would be marching backwards. (OK, that’s the official Polack joke. Apologies to actual Poles, who have numbered noted geniuses among them.)
putin to send drones into poland to kill terrorist leaders...
has precedence for invasion.
I’ll bet he’ll use the excuse of invading Latvia and Lithuania that they’re training countries for terrorists. Almost sounds like Bush re: Iraq and Afghanistan. Who’s going to stop Putin until he controls all of Europe? Kerry with a bag full of worthless dollars?
No, he’d destroy Poland too and will if he can.
Sadly yes Barack has given them a roadmap of tit for tat. Cynical and wrong, but so is Barack.
We also know who the pro-Putin “FEeepers” and strange new “conservatives” will be blaming for Putin. It’s the awful people of Poland that inspired the reckless Fascist Ukrainians to leave the lovely Putin. Putin who looks so sweet to them in his wet suit, his shirtless pictures, and his judo britches. Shame on the Poles for upsetting this new hero of the idiot conservatives who cannot see that Putin and Obama are part and parcel of the same statis outlook.
He/she doesn’t care. It’s the party line that Poland and Ukraine are fools and NAZIS for not following the Great Dear Leader, Comrade Putin.
Putin’s now claiming he’s the champion of Jews, like Assad’s the champion of Christians. It’s situational nonsense.
Wait a minute. The Putin supporters here said the protestors were “anti-Polish”. Duh?
Liberals claimed that evil forces manufactured consent. Putins state-owned and party-controlled media and its fans abroad try to manufacture dissent in the USA. I’m a dissident against statists and tyrants everywhere. Pro-Putin type FReepers can admire Putin as much as they like. He’s the statist Obama wishes he was.
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