- Russia and US are on the opposite extremes over their views on the Ukrainian conflict. Signs of a proxy war between US and Russia:
- While Russia has urged US to halt all punitive operations against separatists, US had called on Russia to denounce all support to the separatists and urge them to lay down their arms.
- Russia has explicitly criticized Ukraine’s move of launching military action, US has maintained that Ukraine has the right to employ any move to stabilize its regions.
- The US has expanded its military aid to Ukraine and there are reports of about 400 US mercenaries fighting against pro-Russian supporters in Ukraine.
- On the other hand, several Russian volunteers are fighting alongside the separatists and there have been reports of several convoy of trucks with militants and weapons crossing over from Russia to eastern Ukraine.
- Although Ukraine has high-end weapons and machinery, it is short of army staff as most of the officers are part of the old guard and cannot see Russia as an enemy.
- Ukraine is trying to compensate by recruiting radical nationalists which is increasing escalating the conflict into a civil war.
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/in-ukraine-signs-of-a-new-usrussia-proxy-war/article6073304.ece
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