thank you very much for posting Jeff,, it has been very frustrating to have to all those Russian denials of involvement thrown up as fact, while the very clear evidence of Russian involvement was labeled as "flame bait"? Now that the truth has come out, and will come out, it may bring that whole situation into "perspective"? US plans to station the F-22 in Europe, as well as France keeping those two Mistrals, show just how serious this situation actually is.
What is not clarified is the status of the men fighting when they were killed or injured and that is the most critical factor for any subsequent determinations.
It does not seriously challenge the notion of volunteers, the presence of whom has never been hidden or denied. All this shows is the Russian state is not discouraging such volunteering and will pay compensation for those killed or injured that do.
I read the article as supporting the notion that the payments are made outside of the Statye Military Budget and therefore not able to be considered an "active service - KIA" payment etc.
What it does not prove is the presence of Russian Federation Regular formations in the Ukraine, despite constant insinuation otherwise. Credibility regarding the objectivity is rock bottom with constant misleading statements in the media. We have had native eastern Ukrainians labelled as Russians and Soviet Era weaponry described as Russian etc.
I hardly think it unreasonable, when faced with insinuation and deception, in an environment that has been consistently monitored by the best US reconnaissance and surveillance, since before the conflict began, that absence of proof of direct Russian Military Involvement to be taken as proof of absence.
