NATO commanders have reported that thousands of Russian troops have crossed into Ukrainian territory along with Russian tanks, artillery and air-defense systems. The actions of Russia, who recently invaded and annexed the Crimean peninsula from the sovereign Ukrainian nation, could easily be described as an invasion, but not by the US State Department.

ABC News points out that lots of euphemisms are flying around but the Obama Administration refuses to call Russia's aggression an "invasion.":

“Russia is instead surging more forces and more equipment across the border,” Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, said Wednesday.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki referred to heavy weapons being “moved to the front lines” and endorsed “the developments seen by NATO.”

Asked point blank by email whether Russia had invaded Ukraine, Psaki again declined to use the term.

“As we’ve said consistently, Russia is blatantly violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” she told ABC News. “No matter what you call it, Russian action inside Ukraine must end immediately.”

Psaki offered no explanation for why the term “invasion” was not being used, but the blatant effort to deflect it suggests a policy decision was made within the administration.