TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Russia has begun its' invasion of Ukraine, as stated in a press release delivered by the Ukrainian Embassy on Friday, August 29, 2014.
According to the release, Russian troops have breached the Ukrainian border, occupying the town of Novoazovsk in the Donetsk region in the eastern part of Ukraine - where the conflict is at its' most intense - since Wednesday, August 27, 2014. Tanks have blocked the major thoroughfares in town, while Russian military personnel roamed around, warning the town’s inhabitants to stay indoors as Russian troops are preparing to mobilize through town.
Contrary to other major towns and cities in Eastern Ukraine, the coastal town of Novoazovsk had not seen a breakout of violence and/or military operations until Russian forces began its' takeover of the town on Wednesday.
Previously, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council has issued warnings that Russia’s armed forces have been moving their personnel and weaponries closer towards the Ukrainian border. At first, the move was thought to be a strategy to taunt Ukraine into drawing the first blood in the conflict - a notion that has since been quashed after Russian troops began to move inwards into Central Ukraine.
Through the statement, the Ukrainian government is not only appealing to the international community to strengthen the sanctions against Russia, as it is also requesting military and technical assistance from the global community to push Russian forces out of Ukrainian territories.
According to the latest United Nations (UN) report quoted by the BBC, more than 2,500 Ukrainians have been killed since the conflict began in April. (*)
