US troops in Ukraine ‘clear escalation’ of crisis: Activist
The training of Ukrainian government forces by US paratroopers is a “clear escalation” of the crisis in the region, an American activist says.
“Sending in these troops is a clear escalation of US intervention in Ukraine,” said Joe Iosbaker, a leader of the United National Antiwar Coalition.
About 300 US troops arrived in Yavoriv, western Ukraine, last week to train the Ukrainian National Guard to fight pro-Russian forces, the US Army said in a statement on Thursday.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko welcomed troops from the US 173rd Airborne Brigade for Operation Fearless Guardian in a ceremony Sunday at a military base in Yavoriv.
“When the ceasefire went into effect in Ukraine two months ago, President Obama called for the Russians to respect the sovereignty of Ukraine. Then last week the US sent 300 troops into Ukraine on a training mission,” Iosbaker said in a phone interview with Press TV on Monday.
“The US is pouring gas on a fire by sending in these ‘advisers’; it’s wrong, they should be removed,” he said.
The US had announced the training mission last summer, but delayed its implementation--originally planned for March—after negotiations in Minsk, Belarus, led to a ceasefire agreement in February which still officially holds.
Russia has warned that US military involvement could further "destabilize" Ukraine, where the conflict has killed more than 6,000 people in the past year.
Western governments have accused Russia of destabilizing Ukraine by supporting pro-Russian forces in the eastern regions.
Iosbaker said there is no evidence of Russia’s intervention in eastern Ukraine. “The US justifies their intervention by lies, they repeat the lies as if that would make them true.”
Moscow says Washington is responsible for the escalating tension in Ukraine through sending arms in support of the Ukrainian army.
The conflict has dragged relations between the US and Russia to their lowest point since the Cold War.
The United States has provided $75 million worth of military aid to Ukraine, but has so far stopped short of sending lethal weapons.
AHT/HRJ
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