WASHINGTON – Russian president Vladimir Putin isn’t ruling out a military intervention in eastern Ukraine.
As clashes between Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces in the besieged country continue, Putin noted Russia’s historic ties to the region, which he referred to as “new Russia,” its historical name.
With characteristic bravado during a 4-hour televised call-in show, the strongman noted the Bolsheviks gave the territory to Ukraine in the 1920s — “God knows why.”
He noted that the Russian parliament had given him authorization to intervene militarily, but said, “I really hope that I do not have to exercise this right and that we are able to solve all today’s pressing issues via political and diplomatic means.”
Luckily, there is a limit to his territorial ambition: apparently it’s okay with Putin if the U.S. keeps Alaska.
A woman named Faina Ivanovna, asked why Russia didn’t take back the state, which the U.S. bought for a song in 1867 ($7.2 million).
“Faina Ivanovna, my dear, why do you need Alaska?” Putin responded. “Let’s not get too hasty.”
Top U.S., Russian, and Ukrainian diplomats announced later in Geneva that they had reached a tentative agreement that calls for the disarming of all illegal groups and for government buildings seized by separatists to be returned to authorities.
The deal, reached after seven hours of negotiation, also requires all sides to refrain from violence, intimidation or provocative actions.
“It is important that these words are translated immediately into actions,” said Secretary of State John Kerry said at a news briefing. “None of us leaves here with a sense that the job is done because of words on a paper.”
In his Q and A, Putin acknowledged for the first time that Russian forces had been present in Crimea during the confrontations that preceded Russia’s absorption of the territory last month.
But he denied that Russian Special Forces were helping whip up confrontations in southeast Ukraine.
“It’s all nonsense, there are no Russian units, special services or instructors in the east of Ukraine,” he said.
He said those dispatched to Crimea — they wore unmarked uniforms but spoke Russian — were Russian servicemen who “stood behind the back of Crimea’s self-defense forces.”
“They acted politely, but resolutely and professionally,” he said.
“There was no other way to hold the referendum in an open, honest and honorable way and allow the people to express their opinion,” Putin added.
He called Ukraine’s decision to use force to try to remove protesters who had captured government buildings a “grave crime.”
“They are sending tanks, armored personnel carriers and cannons there!” Putin said. “Have they gone nuts?”
“They badly want to bite us, but their opportunities are limited,” Putin said. Putin’s longing for lost empire and fear of western encirclement hasn’t completely clouded his view of Obama.
When a six-year-old girl asked whether Obama would rescue him if he were drowning, Putin replied: “He’s a decent and brave man, he would do it.”
NSA leaker Edward Snowden called in to ask a pre-recorded planted question about whether Russia maintains massive surveillance systems on its people.
“You are an ex-agent,” Putin told Snowden. “I used to have ties to intelligence.” The former KGB agent then responded in the negative. “You have to get a court’s permission first,” he said with a straight face.