Moscow has his troops near the border with Ukraine practice – a new challenge in the Crimean crisis. 8500 Russian soldiers should hold maneuver. Hundreds of paratroopers have landed in the Rostov region.

Shortly before the referendum on a port in the Crimea to Russia , there are diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. But at the same time intensified the sound . Chancellor Angela Merkel has just threatened Moscow with tougher sanctions , should not give in to the Kremlin.

Russia’s announcement to hold a maneuver near the Ukrainian border , exacerbated the situation . According to the Defense Ministry in Moscow 8500 soldiers will be involved in the exercises . Were to be used artillery and rocket launchers . Target was a ” review of the cohesion of the troops ” as well as a simulation ” of inserts in a unknown area and untested shooting ranges .” The exercises should last until the end of March , the ministry said .
4,000 paratroopers in the Rostov region already launched a large-scale maneuvers, such as the news agency Itar -Tass reported . The Russian state television showed hundreds of country forming paratroopers.

A senior Russian parliamentarian had previously indirectly acknowledged the presence of Russian forces in the Crimea. It said there was ” some military units that occupy positions in the event of armed aggression by Kiev ,” Leonid Slutsky said Wednesday night the radio station Echo of Moscow . The word “russian ” he did not use , but he responded to the question of a journalist whether Russia’s armed forces on the ground are . It does not handle is a ” large-scale military operation ,” continued the Duma deputy . Would it come in view of the forthcoming referendum on the status of Crimea to Kiev caused a ” bloodshed ” , the soldiers would but may be active.

President Vladimir Putin had previously always denied that we are dealing in the Crimea by Russian soldiers in the uniformed units and instead spoke of ” local self-defense forces ” .
The majority of Russian-speaking Crimea stands for days under the de facto control of Moscow. The local population is to decide on Sunday on whether to join with Russia. The West holds the referendum illegal.

The U.S. and the EU imposed in the past week, first sanctions against Russia , which could be followed by more . The next stage of EU sanctions should be much sharper with accounts and entry barriers. A list of possible measures intend to present to the meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday European officials . In its policy statement Chancellor Merkel also threatened a third sanction level: “They could affect the economic cooperation in variety of ways. ” The Russia would also ” hurt massively economically and politically .”

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