Will Russia Directly Intervene in Ukraine?

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he believes there’s a “growing threat of direct Russian intervention” in eastern Ukraine. He made this statement on August 6, and also said the next phase of the crisis “could be more serious.”

Pro-Russia forces are fighting to break away from Ukraine, but they cannot push back its military. On Tuesday, Ukrainian troops reached the main rebel stronghold in the city of Donetsk. The two sides are now exchanging rocket fire. If Ukraine’s military can recapture Donetsk, it could signal the end of the separatist movement.

The wild card is Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing increasing pressure from Russian nationalists. They want him to send the Russian Army into Ukraine to back the insurgency.

In a possible sign that such a move is imminent, Russia has renewed its buildup of military forces near Ukraine’s border.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski spoke about the Russian buildup in a recent interview: “there are more than a dozen battalion groups. A large saturation of military equipment. You either do such things to exert pressure or to enter.”

Putin denies any buildup on the border and continues to shrug off Western warnings.

A senior UN official warned that the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine is steadily worsening. Power and water supplies are scarce and homes are being destroyed.

U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the UN Rosemary DiCarlo explained the situation to the Security Council: “As a result of ongoing violence in Eastern Ukraine, thousands of Ukrainians have had to flee their homes. Many have been subjected to harassment, arbitrary detentions, and killing at the hands of Russia-supported separatists.”

According to the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 1,367 civilians and combatants have died since the fighting in eastern Ukraine began in mid-April. More than 4,000 have been wounded. An additional 285,000 have been forced to flee their homes, according to UN figures released on Tuesday.

So what will Putin do? While we cannot know the specific details, Bible prophecy does show the overall trend of where this crisis is leading. To learn more, read Gerald Flurry’s article “The Crimean Crisis Is Reshaping Europe!”