Putin admits Russian military presence in Ukraine for first time

Note to myself

Guardian 17 December 2015: Putin admits Russian military presence in Ukraine for first time

Reuters 17 December 2015: Russia's Putin lashes Turkey, says Russian forces were in Ukraine

Compare with summary in Power and Law in International Society, page 155: "Similarly, Russia went to great length in its illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 to argue that the “green men” taking control over various buildings were “local self-defense forces” and not Russian troops,132 contradicted by various international observers and later by president Putin himself.133"

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132 ‘Russia says cannot order Crimean 'self-defense' units back to base’ Reuters (5 March 2014) accessed 26 October 2014. ‘Crimea crisis: Russian President Putin's speech annotated’ BBC (19 March 2014) accessed 26 October 2014.

133 ‘Putin admits Russian forces were deployed to Crimea’ Reuters (17 April 2014 ) accessed 26 October 2014; ‘Putin acknowledges Russian military serviceman were in Crimea’ Russia Today (17 April 2014) accessed 26 October 2014.