Volodymyr Ohryzko: Invasion of “Putin's convoy” is artillery preparation for meeting in Minsk

• 22.08.2014, 16:43

Today's provocation may end with a full-scale invasion.

The statement was made by former foreign minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Ohryzko. He underlined the entry of the Russian humanitarian convoy into Ukraine without the country's consent was a provocation.

Volodymyr Ohryzko thinks Putin needs to talk through strength, so he ordered the humanitarian convoy to enter Ukraine, gordonua.com writes.

“The invasion of the convoy is preparations for Merkel's visit scheduled for tomorrow. It [Russia] wants to talk through strength. This is the traditional expansionist behaviour of our northern neighbour. This is the artillery preparation for tomorrow's meeting and for the meeting in Minsk on August 26,” Ohryzko thinks. “This provocation was made to set their position. It can end with a full-scale invasion. It will be presented as the defence of the humanitarian convoy that was attacked. I think they can organise a couple of provocations. Russian liberators are known for such tricks.”

Volodymyr Ohryzko thinks Ukraine has little to do in this situation.

“I said from the very beginning we didn't need this convoy at all. Everything they can do now is inform the Red Cross. I don't think we can influence the situation, especially because the convoy is in the area we do not control,” Ohryzko added.

Militants need the trucks carrying the so called “humanitarian aid” to transport weapons and take the bodies away from Ukraine, Valentyn Nalyvaichenko, the head of Ukraine's Security Service, says. Nalyvaichenko called the crossing of the Ukrainian border by the convoy a “direct invasion”.

Trucks allegedly carrying humanitarian aid from Russia decided not to wait for checks by Ukrainian customs officers and began to move to Luhansk today from Russia's checkpoint Donetsk through Ukraine's checkpoint Izvarino, which is currently controlled by militants.

Photo: PHL