MOSCOW, February 13. NATO Secretay General Jens Stoltenberg claimes that the intelligence service of the alliance has some documented data of Russian military presence in eastern Ukraine. Stoltenberg announced it on air of the Kommersant FM radio.
According to Stoltenberg, the militias of eastern Ukrain wouldn’t have been able to achieve the success they are demonstrating without Russia’s support.
He said that NATO receives data on Russian military presence in Ukraine from the intelligence services, journalists and other sources but presented no concrete facts.
Moscow has repeatedly denied alleged presence of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in late January that those accusing Russia of sending troops and weapons to the conflict-torn south-eastern Ukraine need to substantiate their accusations with proof.
“We hear a lot about the flow of Russian troops and arms,” Lavrov said speaking at his annual news conference. “And every time I respond that if one speaks with such certainty, than one should present some facts. However, no one is either capable or willing to present the facts.”
The West repeatedly accused Moscow of its alleged military involvement in the embattled south-eastern Ukraine and imposed a wide range of sanctions in regard to Russia. Moscow dismissed the allegations and answered with retaliatory sanctions against the West last summer. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that those Russians taking part in combat operations in the southeast of Ukraine were volunteers and not mercenaries.
