Russia not planning to intervene in conflict in Ukraine, to take steps depending on developments - Patrushev
MOSCOW. April 7 (Interfax) - Russia is not planning to intervene in the conflict in Ukraine, but is following the situation and will take specific steps depending on how it develops, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said.
"We aren't harboring such plans, no. But we're following the situation closely. Any concrete measures will be taken depending on how it develops," Patrushev said in an interview published in the Kommersant newspaper, when asked whether there are any red lines the crossing of which might prompt Russia to intervene openly in the conflict in Ukraine.
Asked what he believes has prompted tensions to grow in Donbas recently, Patrushev said, "I am convinced that this is a result of serious domestic problems in Ukraine and that the authorities are trying to divert attention away from them in this way."
"They're resolving their issues at the expense of Donbas, while capital has long been flowing abroad, the economy continues to run only thanks to burdensome foreign loans, the debts on which are growing, and as for the remnants of the industries that have managed to stay afloat, Kyiv is selling them off to foreigners at democratic prices, as they say nowadays. They're even taking trainloads of famous Ukrainian Chernozem [black soil] and timber abroad, depriving the country of these assets, as well. And getting in exchange those notorious pies that the Americans were handing out on Maidan," he said.