Russian President Vladimir Putin, late on Monday evening, signed a decree recognizing two breakaway regions from eastern Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk – (referred to as Donbass) as independent. What does Russia’s recognition of two Ukrainian regions mean?
What are Ukraine’s breakaway regions?
In 2014, Russia-backed separatists broke away from the Ukrainian government and declared themselves as a people’s republic. These rebels, who occupy the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, collectively referred to as Donbass, continue to remain unrecognized to date and several people have been killed in fighting since 2014.
Russia has often claimed that it has no role in the conflict, but has always backed the rebels and provided military as well as non-military aid such as financial support, passports, and other such backing to the separatist factions.
What does Russian recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk (Donbass) mean?
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move to sign a decree recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk (Donbass) as independent regions, means that Moscow no longer recognizes these two regions as part of Ukraine. It will pave way for Russian military forces to enter into these separatist-dominated regions claiming to be an ally of the rebels.
The separatists may take Russian military help to take control of Donetsk and Luhansk from Ukrainian forces. This in turn can become the flashpoint of a larger military conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Putin’s Ukraine move also junks the 2014-15 Minsk peace agreement, which, though unimplemented, was so far, respected by Moscow.
