By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine – Tensions between Russia and NATO nations remains high despite the ceasefire still holding in Ukraine, and unfortunately this is keeping Ukraine in the spotlight between the two forces. The United States will be sending troops to help train Kiev’s military, much against the demands by Russia to avoid involvement with the United States.

United States’s senior envoy to Europe claims that there are still “thousands and thousands” of Russian troops deployed in Eastern Ukraine, along with “hundreds of pieces of military equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles, rocket systems, heavy artillery.” US Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges estimates that there are 12,000 Russian troops in eastern Ukraine, along with another 29,000 in Crimea. Further, the senior envoy claims that “[t]he Russian military has its own robust command structure in eastern Ukraine … they are funding this war, they are fueling it and commanding and controlling it.”

In response, the United States intends to carry out its plan to send roughly 300 troops to western Ukraine to train Kiev’s troops in fighting the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. Further, under the fiscal 2015 budget to help train and equip the armed forces of allies around the world, the US has already set aside $19 million to assist the Ukrainian National Guard. On top of this, the US has still failed to rule out sending lethal aid to Kiev. Additionally, German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that more sanctions may be pressed onto Russia if the ceasefire fails, as it would likely be the result of instability caused at least partially by Russian involvement.

Russia has been active in trying to denounce the involvement of NATO nations in the Ukrainian conflict. Recently, Russian Su-30s and Su-24 aircraft from Russia’s new Black Sea Fleet in Crimea have run mock attacks on NATO warships in the Black Sea.

For more information, please see:

Yahoo – EU ready with sanctions if Ukraine ceasefire violated, Merkel says – 4 March 2015

Yahoo – ‘Thousands’ of Russian troops in east Ukraine: US envoy – 4 March 2015

Business Insider – Report: Russia is practicing attack runs against NATO warships in the Black Sea – 4 March 2015

Defense News – US Soldiers Readying for Ukraine Deployment – 3 March 2015

ABC – US Commander: Arming Ukraine Increases Pressure on Putin – 3 March 2015

Global Research – Despite Russian Warnings, US Will Deploy a Battalion to Ukraine by the End of the Week – 3 March 2015