Putin: So Yeah, I'll Be Sending "Humanitarian Aid Convoys" to Ukraine Which Might, Incidentally, Come in the Form of Armored Personnel Carriers

What a guy.

He doesn't say the "humanitarian aid" will come in APCs; that's my own personal speculation.

But who can doubt it?

The Ukraine is beating back the alleged "pro-Russian rebels" (who frankly seem like Russian-paid mercenaries to me), and Putin wants to intervene -- humanely, you understand -- on their behalf.

President Vladimir Putin said on Monday Russia is sending an aid convoy to eastern Ukraine despite urgent Western warnings against using humanitarian help as a pretext for an invasion.

With Ukraine reporting Russia has massed 45,000 troops on its border, NATO said there was a "high probability" that Moscow could intervene militarily in the country's east, where Kiev's forces are closing in on pro-Russian separatists.

Western countries believe that Putin -- who has whipped up the passions of Russians with a nationalist campaign in state-controlled media since annexing Crimea from Ukraine in March --- could now send his forces into the east to head off a humiliating rebel defeat.

Russia says this is being done in coordination with the International Red Cross.

The International Red Cross says: First time we've heard about it.

In a telephone call with European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed that Russia will send a convoy of humanitarian aid to Ukraine in cooperation with the International Red Cross. The ICRC reportedly said that it did not coordinate with Russia and was not aware of a Kremlin plan to send a humanitarian convoy to Ukraine.

Terrible. Everything is terrible.

posted by Ace at 06:43 PM

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