Busted: Kiev MPs try to fool US senator with 'proof' of Russian tanks in Ukraine

© AP

Evidence of Russian troops in Ukraine?

MPs in Kiev hoodwinked a US senator, presenting his office with photos of columns of Russian military hardware allegedly roaming Ukrainian territory. The photos turned out to have been taken during the conflict in South Ossetia back in 2008.

The photos were told The Washington Free Beacon Senator Jim Inhofe's communications director Donelle Harder.

The Americans planned to publish the photos with credits to the Ukrainian MPs, and the spokesperson said.

Yet, after thorough checking, images of the Russian convoys turned to be taken years ago, in 2008 during Georgia - South Ossetia war.

Harder said.

gave us these photos in print form as if it came directly from a camera really did themselves a disservice," Senator Inhofe said in a statement.

the lawmaker wrote.

At the same time the revealed forgery the US senator maintains.

The list of members of the Ukrainian delegation that attempted to fool Senator Jim Inhofe does not include high-ranking Ukrainian officials, with probably the sole exception of the commander of the Donbass volunteer battalion Semyon Semenchenko, who visited Washington demanding arms and training for his servicemen.

The Washington Free Beacon said it "regrets the error," and claims it has obtained new "exclusive" photos of of the eastern Ukraine self-defense militia. The new photos, allegedly

Senator Inhofe expressed the hope that the new, particularly graphic images, could and push the US Congress to back up Senator Inhofe's bill to supply the Ukrainians with American lethal aid.

Russian tanks, soldiers / Photo provided by Sen. Inhofe, Feb 2015

Russian Army BMP-2 infantry armored fighting vehicle, Georgia - South Ossetia war. Published in here 18 August 2008 and here August 9, 2008.

Having compared Russians with Islamic State (also known as ISIS, or ISIL), Senator Inhofe said that Ukrainian troops

and identify the problems Inhofe said. he acknowledged, adding:

Writer and journalist John Wight has told RT that the West has to ramp up the demonization of Russia to influence public opinion.

and everything is tailored to fit that policy agenda, including the truth. So anything that can be done to enlist support, the key determining factor of course is public opinion both in the UK and the US in particular, which has just had a decade of war. The public is war weary. So they have to ramp up the demonization of Russia. They have to fabricate Russia's intentions and Russia's actions in order to enlist that support of public opinion when it comes to possibly intensifying the conflict, which I fear we are in danger of seeing happen."

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EU-report: A column of Russian armoured vehicles moves along a road in South Ossetia, near the border with North Ossetia August 23 2008.

Chomsky: We Are All – Fill in the Blank.

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