[USATODAY] The U.S. told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council Thursday that Russia has "outright lied" over its military activity inside Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting the Ukrainian armed forces.
"Russian soldiers, tanks and air defense have supported and fight alongside separatists as they open a new front in a crisis manufactured and fueled by Russia," Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the U.N. told the council.
She noted that it was not the first time that Russia has been called to account by the council for its activities inside Ukraine.
"At every step, Russia has become before this council to say everything but the truth," Power said. "It has manipulated, obfuscated and outright lied."
The Security Council convened the emergency meeting only hours after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko declared that "Russian forces have entered Ukraine" in support of separatist rebels.
The meeting, called by Lithuania, also followed charges Thursday by NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis....
officials of a significant increase of Russian military activity -- including evidence of combat soldiers -- in eastern Ukraine. Russia has strongly denied
No, no! Certainly not!
such allegations.
"Russia has to stop lying and has to stop fueling this conflict," the U.S. ambassador said. "The mask is coming off. In these recent acts, we see Russia's actions for what they are -- a deliberate effort to support and now fight alongside illegal separatists in another sovereign country." |