Russia is busy organizing shelter, food and pocket money for the refugees from Ukraine. Women, children and the elderly are given priority.
Donetsk explosion
A US government spokesman called the evacuations a “cynical step” in the propaganda battle between Russia and the West. Russia has built up a large military force on the border with Ukraine in recent weeks. There are fears that Russia will invade eastern Ukraine.
In Donetsk, the capital of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, a vehicle exploded near the building that houses the separatist government earlier in the day. America suspects the separatists of staged this attack to justify a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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RTL correspondent Jeroen Akkermans calls the evacuations ‘a new escalation’ in the tensions between Russia and Ukraine. “Putin could soon say: our citizens are no longer safe there, we have to intervene.”
Keep the fire high
“The situation does not want to calm down,” Akkermans continues. “The separatists hope that Russia will move into eastern Ukraine. It is in their interest to keep the fire going.”
He said it is unlikely that the separatists will act on their own. “I can’t imagine that. This seems to indicate that Russia wants to occupy eastern Ukraine. But it could be a stage. It remains to be seen what the plan is.”
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The Ukrainian army has been at war for years with the self-proclaimed republics that the rebels have proclaimed. The shelling has intensified in recent days as Russian troops have massed along the Ukrainian border.
The Russian parliament this week asked President Vladimir Putin to recognize the two areas in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine as independent republics. Russia has issued Russian passports to many citizens in this area.
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