Russia’s upper house of parliament has voted to allow President Vladimir Putin to use Russiann forces outside the country to support separatists in Ukraine.
A total of 153 Russiann senators supported the decision making, with none abstaining.
Russia’s foreign ministry had earlier said it was not planning to send troops to eastern Ukraine “for now”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the Federation Council to approve the use of force outside the country. To support separatists fighting the Ukrainian army since 2014.
At the request of Putin, Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said during a session of the Federation Council that “negotiations have stalled. The Ukrainian leadership has resorted to violence and bloodshed.”
“They have left us no choice,” Pankov told the chamber.
He alleged that there were “heavily armored vehicles” on the border of separatist-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, called DNRs and LNRs.
Pankov also said that NATO was “actively pumping all over Ukraine with modern weapons. Russia will act to protect the sovereignty of other states and to prevent acts of aggression.”
He quoted Putin’s request as saying, “In accordance with the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the DNR. LNR, I am submitting a to agree to the use of the Russian Armed Forces outside Russia.”
On Monday, Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine and signed agreements with them. Which opened the door for Russian military presence in the rebel-held regions of the Ukraine.
Putin on Monday recognised the independence of the rebel-held Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine and instructed the defence ministry to assume “the function of peacekeeping” in the separatist-held regions.