Def Min Accuses Ukraine Of Shelling, Putin Could Recognise DPR, LPR

Emma Burrows at ITV tweets comments from Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu speaking at the National Security Council meeting in Moscow:

• "Russian security council informing Putin on Ukraine crisis says shells are landing in Rostov region from Ukraine & two groups of military saboteurs crossed border from Ukraine and were caught and ‘eliminated’ by Russia. One person was captured. "
• "Russia defence minister Shoigu says 90% of Donetsk is without water. At a bus stop in Donetsk today he says a shell exploded and killed a child. He says this is targeted fire (from Ukraine) and ‘they know what they are hitting.’ "
• "Shoigu says there are 59,300 Ukraine troops on border of separatist regions, 345 tanks 2K armoured vehicles, 820 guns as well as nationalist ‘poorly controlled’ battalions which ‘act as they see fit’ hence the ‘groups of saboteurs we see in various places and the terrorist acts.’"
• "Shoigu, Russia Defence Minister: ‘There are nationalist battalions across Ukraine and it’s not a secret that they are in control and we are talking about extreme radical views. A serious provocation is being prepared… in Donbass.‘"

• All of these comments serving to provide 'validation' for the Russian gov't should it launch a military incursion into Ukraine. National Security Council also speaking openly about recognition of the so-called Donestk and Luhansk People's Republics. The recognitions would break the Minsk Accords.