The upper house of Russia’s parliament approved a plan to deploy the country’s military abroad following a request on Tuesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Members of Russia’s Federation Council voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country—effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. The move came as several European leaders said Russian troops rolled into the rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin recognized their independence. But it was unclear how large the deployment was, and Ukraine and its Western allies have long said Russian troops were fighting in the region, allegations that Moscow always denied. When asked by a reporter about whether he sent Russian forces into Ukraine, Putin said, “I haven’t said that the troops will go there right now.” He then continued to say that it is “impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action …