Two separatist regions - the trigger of the Ukraine crisis 2
Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 recognized the independence of two separatist regions in Ukraine, a move that increased tensions with the West, in the context of concerns that Russia mobilized troops with the neighboring country had not yet subsided.
The decision of the Kremlin boss was made after a series of recent escalating developments in eastern Ukraine, which has been engulfed in a persistent conflict lasting nearly 8 years between Russian-backed separatists and the main army.
Soldiers of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic at a front-line position outside the city of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, on November 19 last year.
After Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown by a domestic protest movement in February 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula into its territory.
By April 2014, pro-Russian separatists occupied government buildings in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, declaring themselves `people’s republics`, confronting the Ukrainian army and volunteer militia groups.
The following month, the breakaway regions held a popular vote to declare independence and try to become part of Russia.
Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of providing weapons and military support to the separatists.
Amid fierce battles with tanks, heavy artillery and fighter jets, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board.
After the heavy defeats of the Ukrainian army, in September 2014, envoys from Kiev, the separatists and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) signed a ceasefire agreement in Minsk, the capital of Ukraine.
Accordingly, the OSCE will monitor the implementation of the ceasefire, all foreign soldiers must withdraw from the fighting area, both sides will exchange prisoners and hostages, and areas controlled by separatists will
However, the agreement quickly collapsed and large-scale fighting continued, leading to another major defeat for the Ukrainian armed forces at Debaltseve in January and February 2015.
France and Germany brokered another peace agreement, signed in Minsk in February 2015 by representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the separatists.
The 2015 peace agreement was a major diplomatic victory for the Kremlin, forcing Ukraine to grant special status to separatist regions, allowing them to establish their own police forces and have a say in the process.
It also stipulates that Ukraine can only regain control of an area about 200 km long along the border with Russia in territory controlled by separatists after they gain autonomy and hold elections.
Many Ukrainians saw this as a betrayal of national interests, so the implementation of the agreement stalled.
Because the Minsk agreement was not fully complied with, Moscow’s goal of using separatist regions to directly influence Ukrainian politics has failed, but the conflict still drains Kiev’s resources and hinders Ukraine.
Moscow also tries to maintain its influence over separatist areas by issuing more than 720,000 Russian passports to people there, accounting for about 1/5 of the population.
Amid rising tensions over Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine, France and Germany have embarked on new efforts to revive the 2015 deal, in the hope it can help resolve the current deadlock.
Facing calls from Germany and France, Ukrainian officials still criticized the Minsk agreement, warning that it could cause the country to collapse.
People in Donetsk evacuated on February 18.
Meanwhile, the Russian House of Representatives last week began urging President Putin to recognize the independence of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.
Putin’s recognition of the independence of the separatist territories broke the Minsk peace agreement and exacerbated tensions with the West.
This move was made after several days of shelling broke out in Donetsk and Luhansk.
On February 18, separatist leaders released a video announcing the evacuation of civilians in Donetsk and Luhansk because of what they called `aggressive actions` by the Ukrainian government.
Separatist leaders on February 21 issued statements in a new video, urging President Putin to recognize the independence of the areas under their control, and Russian leaders responded quickly by convening
