Geeze man, Putin even admitted he had troops in Crimea. It’s not some secret anymore.
From the article: MOSCOW — A confident President Vladimir Putin on Thursday used his annual televised meeting with the nation to portray a powerful Russia — one that is dismissive of the West, had troops operating in Crimea even as it denied it and regards a large swath of southeastern Ukraine as historically part of its territory.....(more)
I agree that some of these separatists have arms they gained from former Ukrainian units that switched sides, dropped their gear and ran, etc, but to believe that Russian operatives and special ops aren’t heavily involved in stirring up and reinforcing “protests” is to be sticking your head in the sand. You can bet Russia had contingency plans for this very thing, just like most nations war game out and prepare for many scenarios.
However Nato wasn't prepared for Putin to act as he did.....nor took into account the Nato Member states were not enlarging their military camps to protect themselves as was required by Eu/Nato agreements. Now they're all scrambling to determine what to do, and of course relying on the US for their nations protection because they failed to do so themselves.
I recall at the Atlantic meetings the consistent voice that the US had to do more, and yet we already have been doing far more than our share of the heavy lifting. Nato is nothing but a propped up extension of our military.
So of course all these Nato members were bawling and screaming the US had to do something....
We are sooooo being used, and drained, by EU's quest for power as a Nation State of it's own because our government is in lockstep with the EU's agenda ....