Ukraine separatists are using Russia’s tanks, rocket launchers, and other weapons, according to the US State Department.
In a related report by The Inquisitr , some people claim that headlines talking about “ Russian tanks invading Ukraine ” and “ Russian bombers buzzing the US coast line ” is mere propaganda being spread by the Western media. This theme was even picked up by representatives for Vladimir Putin who claimed that “Russophobia” over World War 3 starting was responsible for this type of news. Russia also threatened Finland , saying they should not join NATO and instead remain neutral:
“Anti-Semitism started World War II, Russophobia could start the third. Finland is one of the most russiphobian countries in Europe, together with Sweden and the Baltic states…. Russia recommends Finland not to join NATO. That military alliance has lost its aim and goal and is therefore looking for new tasks. If Finland joins NATO it would weaken the security in Europe, not strengthen it.”
The Ukrainian Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, previously issued a statement accusing the Russian government of ordering tanks through a border checkpoint controlled by pro-Russian Ukraine separatists. Reports claim two columns of armored vehicles entered Ukraine at least two tanks split off from the main formation and drove toward the city of Gorlovka. Avakov claims that the Ukrainian military engaged the tanks being used by the Ukraine separatists.
Russia officially denied these reports of Ukraine separatists using Russian tanks, calling this “another fake piece of information,” but the US State Department claims that is a lie:
“Russia will claim these tanks were taken from Ukrainian forces, but no Ukrainian tank units have been operating in that area. We are confident that these tanks came from Russia…. We also have information that Russia has accumulated multiple rocket launchers at this same deployment site in southwest Russia, and these rocket launchers also recently departed. Internet video has shown what we believe to be these same rocket launchers traveling through Luhansk.”
There’s even Tweets showing the Ukraine separatists using the Russian tanks:
State Department confirmed that Russia has sent tanks & other heavy weapons into Ukraine http://t.co/Z45psLiLBL pic.twitter.com/m0ytnRdbKe
— NATOSource (@NATOSource) June 13, 2014
The US government believes the unmarked tanks were purposefully of a type that is not currently being used by the Russian military forces stationed near Ukraine.
To give you an idea of how heavily armed the Ukraine separatists have become, they even managed to shoot down a military plane with 49 people on board. White House spokeswoman Laura Lucas Magnuson has also condemned this action while again referencing the Russian tanks:
“We condemn the shooting down of the Ukrainian military plane and continue to be deeply concerned about the situation in eastern Ukraine, including by the fact that militant and separatist groups have received heavy weapons from Russia, including tanks, which is a significant escalation.”
Do you think World War 3 could be triggered if it’s true that Russia armed the Ukraine separatists? Or do you think the Ukraine crisis will be a proxy war that launches Cold War 2?