Oh dear, it seems that Putin isn't taking kindly to his proxy forces in Ukraine being given a good kicking: he's sent Russian troops into more of Ukraine. Of course he did that while supposedly discussing peace in Minsk.
- Ten Russian paratroopers captured on Ukrainian territory made for an awkward summit Tuesday evening between the presidents of the two nations.
WaPo
And, telling a tale so tall that even gregy might well not believe it and even Barney might think twice about telling, the Kremlin claimed that the paratroopers had entered Ukraine 'by mistake'.
According to the Novosti news agency, a defence military source insisted that the cross-border incursion was a mistake.
"The soldiers really did participate in a patrol of a section of the Russian-Ukrainian border, crossed it by accident on an unmarked section, and as far as we understand showed no resistance to the armed forces of Ukraine when they were detained," the source said.
Indie
Now that doesn't sound too bad, does it. However, as the Beeb points out: those paratroopers were captured
20 km from the Russia-Ukraine border:
Ukraine's security service said its military had captured the 10 Russian paratroopers near the village of Dzerkalne, about 50km (30 miles) south-east of the rebel-held city of Donetsk and about 20km from the Russian border.
Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said: "This wasn't a mistake, but a special mission they were carrying out."
Beeb
It gets worse:
There are two things happening between Ukraine and Russia right now. First, Russian and Ukrainian leaders are meeting in Belarus to negotiate a peace deal in the Ukrainian conflict that Russia insists it has nothing to do with. Second, Russian military forces are crossing the border into Ukraine in what is clearly a hostile invasion and act of war. That includes Russian artillery, Russian tanks, Russian-trained irregular forces, and even uniformed Russian soldiers who have admitted on camera that they are Russian military ordered to invade by their commanders.
...
.
vox
Let's hope the world doesn't stand by idly.