Western governments have accused Russia of backing the separatists with arms and fighters and of sending Russian troops to lead a counteroffensive in Ukraine during the past week that threatened Mariupol, an important port city, and left thousands of government troops encircled.
Putin spoke Sunday on a televised news program in Moscow as European leaders vowed at a summit meeting in Brussels to toughen economic sanctions against Russia by the end of the week if the conflict in Ukraine continued to escalate.
Earlier, Putin toughened his rhetoric on Ukraine, making a direct address on the Kremlin’s website to “the militias of Novorossiya,” …read more
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
