A senior Kremlin official on Thursday said Russia could face conditions where it should to defend its citizens in eastern Ukraine and that military action may be taken, Reuters reported.
The Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration, Dmitry Kozak, is quoted as saying:I support the assessment that … the beginning of military action – this would be the beginning of the end of Ukraine. ‘
The remarks come on the same day as the Russian president Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich PutinOvernight Energy: Progressive people fear infrastructure’s climate plans will not survive Senate EPA proposes vehicle emissions proposed by end of July Poll shows growing divisions over climate change Putin plans to go to Biden climate summit: reports CNN’s Opportunity Among Journalists Detained While Covering Navalny Prison MORE Ukraine accused of challenging actions in the eastern region of the country during a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Putin accused Kyiv of inciting the situation there.
Ukraine announced on Saturday that it would hold joint military exercises with NATO troops, with more than 1,000 military personnel from five NATO countries. There was no specification of when the exercises would be held.
The Ukrainian parliament last week issued a statement declaring an ‘escalation’ at the front, citing a ‘significant increase in shootings and armed provocations by Russian armed forces’.