Putin seeks ending of Ukraine military intervention

Moscow, June 24 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked parliament to revoke the right of military intervention in Ukraine, where rebels have been fighting government troops.

Putin's move was aimed at "normalising the situation" in the conflict-torn eastern regions of Ukraine, BBC quoted his press secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying.

The upper house of parliament authorised Putin to use force in Ukraine March 1.

Russia has since annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula. It was achieved with the help of troops wearing uniforms without insignia. After initial denials, Putin later admitted that those were Russian armed forces.

Moscow, however, denies accusations by Kiev that Russian troops are helping and arming the separatists in Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.