Russian President Vladimir Putin has a hard time staying on the same page when he talks about Russian military involvement in Ukraine. His recent comments, made December 17, are just the latest example of his shifting rhetoric. His conflicting statements on the role of Russian soldiers in Crimea began as far back as March 2014, when the first steps at attempted annexation were taken.
Referring to the armed men dressed in uniforms strongly resembling those of the Russian military who confronted the Ukrainian army in Crimea, Putin said this:
One month later he admitted:
Putin later revealed he had planned to occupy Crimea all along:
In a similar manner, Putin claimed this on Eastern Ukraine earlier this year:
He now says:
