Moscow, Europe Brief News – Russian Lawmakers have requested President Vladimir Putin to accept two pro-Russian breakaway regions located in eastern Ukraine as independent regions.
This Russian move might mean the Ukraine crisis as Russia has stationed close to 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border. The US suggests the Russian invasion is on its way while Moscow continually refuses to have any of such plans.
What are the breakaway regions?
Russia has been supporting separatists in Donbass. Donbass term is used for two separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk were a part of eastern Ukraine which got away from Ukraine’s control in 2014 and emerged as Independent People’s republics.
Ukraine reportedly lost around 15,000 people fighting for these two regions. However, Russia claimed to have no mutual interest with these two regions but backed them with furtive military support and financial aid.
If Russia recognizes them, what are the implications?
Russian recognition of these two states will blow off the 2014 and 2015 Minsk peace agreement. Russia has considered the peace deal as an unimplemented deal until now.
The 2015 Minsk deal called for self-government for two regions as it stated in the context of Ukrainian law. Recognition to both regions will provide Russia a chance of secret military intervention with the support of its allies.
Alexander Borodai, A Russian parliament member and Donetsk Political leader said “The separatists would look to Russia to help them wrest control of parts of Donbass now controlled by Ukrainian forces”.
Has Russia recognized Breakaway Statelets before?
Yes, Russian recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia , two breakaway regions of Georgia. Russia recognized them after fighting a short war with Georgia In 2008.
What are Pros and cons for Moscow?
Russia used recognition of the breakaway regions to justify open ended military existence in a neighbouring former soviet republic.
Olesya Vartanyan, a south Caucasus specialist at Crisis Group said “ There was also a significant downside for Moscow, however, in taking responsibility for two territories unrecognised by even its close allies and with no prospects for economic development”.
The Kremlin has a slightly bigger advantage in directly annexing Donbass, as it didi with Crimea in 2014 , than in recognizing it as independent.
What is the Kremlin saying?
Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov has responded reluctantly to the concept of Putin recognizing two regions. He believed that this is just an appeal from parliament which requires voting to be done.
