Russia has recognized 2 breakaway regions of Ukraine. Here's why that matters
Move could have wider implications for crisis, with Russia poised to invade Ukraine
Putin's move follows days of heightened tensions in Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, where Ukrainian forces are locked in an eight-year conflict with Russia-backed separatists that has left more than 14,000 people dead.
Here is a look at those two rebel-controlled territories.
What are these two regions?
Russian-backed separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions — collectively known as the Donbas — broke away from Ukrainian government control in 2014 and proclaimed themselves independent "people's republics," until now unrecognized.
Since then, Ukraine says about 15,000 people have been killed in fighting.
Russia denies being a party to the conflict but has backed the separatists in numerous ways — including through covert military support, financial aid, supplies of COVID-19 vaccines and issuing at least 800,000 Russian passports to residents.
Moscow has always denied it is planning to invade Ukraine. However, recognition of the rebel regions came as more than 150,000 Russian troops have surrounded Ukraine from three sides in what the United States and its allies saw as a sign of an imminent invasion.
Shortly after recognizing the regions, Putin ordered his Defence Ministry to send Russian peacekeepers to the two regions.
What could Putin's recognition lead to?
For the first time, Russia is saying it does not regard the Donbas as part of Ukraine. That could pave the way for Moscow to send military forces into the separatist regions openly, using the argument that it is intervening as an ally to protect them against Ukraine.
A Russian parliament member and former Donetsk political leader, Alexander Borodai, told Reuters last month that the separatists would then look to Russia to help them wrest control of parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions still under the control of Ukrainian forces. If that happened, it could lead to open military conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
What about the Minsk peace agreement?
Putin's move on Monday effectively kills the 2014-15 Minsk Protocol, a peace agreement that, although still unimplemented, has until now been seen by all sides, including Moscow, as the best chance for a solution. The accord calls for a large degree of autonomy for the two regions inside Ukraine.
His move will also further fuel tensions with the West. Putin said that Moscow would sign friendship treaties with the rebel territories, a move that could pave the way for Russia to openly support them with troops and weapons.
The development follows several days of shelling that erupted along the line of contact in Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukraine and the West accused Moscow of fomenting the tensions to create a pretext for an invasion.
Russia, in turn, accused Ukraine of trying to reclaim the rebel-held territories by force, a claim that Kyiv strongly rejected.
..........................................
THE SIMPLE ANSWER, SO SIMPLE THE WEST AND UKRAINE CANNOT SEE IT, WHILE IT SMASHES THEM IN THE NOSE!
IF THE WEST AND THE REST OF UKRAINE JUST LET THE TWO BREAKAWAY STATES LEAVE UKRAINE AND BE A PART OF RUSSIA---- NO WAR, NO VIOLENCE.
YA SOME IN THOSE TWO STATES WANTING TO BE PART OF UKRAINE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE OUT---- THOSE LEFT WOULD BE HAPPY TO BE PART OF RUSSIA.
GET OVER IT UKRAINE; GET OVER IT WESTERN WORLD---- NORTH IRELAND WANTS TO BE PART OF BRITAIN; SOUTH IRELAND DOES NOT.
GET THE POINT?
NOW PUTIN SAYS 8 YEARS IS TOO LONG TO KEEP THIS FIGHT GOING; HE HAS NOW DECIDED "YOU WILL NOT LET THE TWO AREAS BE PART OF RUSSIA, SO I'LL TAKE ALL OF UKRAINE!" MY WORDS BUT IT MUST SURELY BE IN HIS MIND.
Keith Hunt
No comments:
Post a Comment