Russia says intervention in Donbas conflict not out of question in case of need

Dmitriy Kozak, deputy head of the Russian Presidential Administration has said Russia could intervene i developments in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine to help its citizens, if necessary.

Dmitriy Kozak used following expression: “It all depends on how big the fire will be. The escalation of the conflict could be the beginning of the end for Ukraine. If a scenario such as in Srebrenica is experienced, it seems that we will have to protect our citizens there, like our President Putin has voiced.”

These remarks are cited as the harshest statement Russia has made on the Ukraine crisis in recent years.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated again with the increase of the Russian military presence in the border region. According to the Ukrainian army’s estimate at the end of March, the number of Russian soldiers moving to the border is about 20 thousand.