Ukraine Crisis: Russian Lawmakers Allow Putin To Use Force Abroad
NDTV
Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Despite Russia's foreign ministry earlier saying they are not planning to send troops to eastern Ukraine "for now," Vladimir Putin asked the Federation Council to approve use of the army outside the country.
Russian parliament's upper house on Tuesday voted to allow President Vladimir Putin to use the Russian army outside the country to support separatists in Ukraine.
A total of 153 Russian senators backed the decision, with no one voting against or abstaining.
Despite Russia's foreign ministry earlier saying they are not planning to send troops to eastern Ukraine "for now," Putin earlier in the day asked the Federation Council to approve the army's use outside the country to back separatists who have been fighting the Ukrainian army since 2014.
"Negotiations have stalled. The Ukrainian leadership has taken the path of violence and bloodshed," Deputy Defence Minister Nikolay Pankov said during a session of the Federation Council called at Putin's request.
