The United States' senior envoy to Europe alleged Wednesday that Russia had deployed "thousands and thousands" of troops to neighbouring Ukraine. Speaking to a congressional foreign affairs committee, Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland also told US lawmakers that Russia was flooding eastern Ukraine with military hardware.
"Since December, Russia has transferred hundreds of pieces of military equipment, including tanks, armoured vehicles, rocket systems, heavy artillery," Nuland said. "The Russian military has its own robust command structure in eastern Ukraine ... they are funding this war, they are fuelling it and commanding and controlling it." Nuland did not specify how many Russian troops were in eastern Ukraine. "I am not in a position to give you a definitive number in this unclassified setting," she said. "I would say it's in the thousands and thousands." On Tuesday, Western leaders including US President Barack Obama called for a "strong reaction" from the international community to any major violation of a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine as they sought to further pressure Russia over the conflict.
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