Ground report, New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine as independent regions and ordered deployment of troops to these regions, escalating fears among Western nations that Russia could invade Ukraine anytime.
The Donetsk and Luhansk regions — collectively known as the Donbas — are in eastern Ukraine, near the border with Russia. Donetsk, the main city in the mining basin of Donbas, is one of the main steel-producing centres of Ukraine. Around two million people live in the region. Luhansk, formerly Voroshilovgrad, is also an industrial city of 1.5 million inhabitants.
Hours after the announcement forces were sent in eastern Ukraine as ‘ peacekeepers’. Video released by Ukraine appeared to show a column of military vehicles moving in convoy along a road. The officials said it was not possible to tell if the troops belonged to the regular Russian army, or were from Russian-controlled separatist units.
The US said calling them peacekeepers was “nonsense”, and accused Russia of creating a pretext for war.
Putin described Ukraine as an integral part of Russia’s history and said eastern Ukraine was ancient Russian lands and that he was confident Russian people would support his decision. “ I believe it is necessary to take a long overdue decision, to immediately recognise the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic,” he said, before state television showed Putin signing mutual aid agreements with rebel leaders in the Kremlin.
The recognition of these two regions shatters the Minsk peace agreements. For those who don’t know, the Minsk agreement was signed in February 2015 after France and Germany brokered the peace agreement. The peace deal between representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the rebels foresaw a new cease-fire, a pullback of heavy weapons and a series of moves toward a political settlement.
The move was widely seen in the West to presage a Russian invasion. Russia has amassed an estimated 150,000 troops near Ukraine in recent weeks, and Western leaders have warned Moscow planned to attack.
Western leaders have denounced the move and said they are preparing to announce sanctions.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia had violated Ukrainian sovereignty and “completely torn up” international law. He said Putin appeared “bent on a full-scale invasion”, and promised a “barrage of sanctions”.
The White House issued an executive order to prohibit Americans from investing and doing business in the separatist regions.
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