Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Admits Military Presence in Ukraine During Marathon Presser

President Vladimir Putin admitted for the first time to the presence of Russian military personnel in east Ukraine during his annual press conference on Thursday.

Asked by an Ukrainian reporter about an hour into the conference about two captured Russian military intelligence officers currently on trial in Ukraine, Putin responded: “We never said there were not people there who carried out certain tasks, including in the military sphere.”

He insisted, however, that these were not regular Russian troops.

After the same correspondent inquired whether a prisoner exchange was possible, perhaps involving the Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, who is being tried in Rostov in southern Russia, Putin replied that prisoner swaps “will have to be negotiated.”

“We support [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko's approach — exchange all for all,” he said.

Russia had repeatedly denied military involvement in the conflict in east Ukraine, despite what most news outlets consider mounting evidence to the contrary.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more