Russian Parliament gives Putin green light to deploy military forces abroad

Putin’s request to deploy military forces outside Russia approved by the Russian Parliament

President Vladimir Putin has this afternoon, Tuesday, February 22, been given the green light by legislators in the upper house of the Russian Parliament to deploy military forces outside the country. This decision reportedly comes into force immediately.
Russian troops had moved into eastern Ukraine late last night, Monday 21, on the pretext that they were on a ‘peacekeeping mission’, to protect two breakaway separatist regions that had been declared independent and recognised by Moscow earlier in the day.
Speaking before the vote by the upper house, Valentina Matvienko, the speaker, said, “By approving the use of the armed forces abroad, we assume they will be peacekeeping forces – forces designed to maintain peace and stability in the republics”.
The Kremlin had announced earlier today that Mr Putin had ratified friendship treaties with the two breakaway republics. This action will entitle Putin to move military forces into the two states, and build bases there.
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary-General, speaking at a news conference in Brussels said that Putin was planning for a “full-scale” attack on Russia’s former territory. “Every indication is that Russia is continuing to plan for a full-scale attack of Ukraine”, he added.
Western leaders have condemned the move by the Russian president, while US President Joe Biden openly called it an ‘invasion’.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, has already recalled the country’s ambassador from Moscow, and has hinted at cutting diplomatic ties with Russia, as reported by news.sky.com.

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