Russia offers ‘warm support’ to Ukrainian separatist vote
6 Nov 2014 5:11 AM IST
Pro-Russian separatist authorities said Sunday’s vote, which saw two rebel leaders easily reconfirmed in their roles, gives them a powerful mandate to slip further from Ukrainian rule.
Plans for the election had been condemned by the European Union and the United States, which said it violated Ukrainian law and undermined a 2-month-old cease-fire deal that has existed only on paper.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry indicated in a statement, however, that it would refrain from supporting outright independence for the Donbass, as Ukraine’s heavily industrial eastern regions are known collectively.
‘In view of the elections, it is extremely important to take active steps toward promoting sustained dialogue between central Ukrainian authorities and the representatives of the Donbass,’ the Russian statement said.
A rebuke was swift in coming from Germany, which deems Russia’s position on the vote in the rebel-held areas detrimental to the September truce deal signed in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. That accord envisioned local elections being held across the whole of the east and under Kiev’s supervision.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said that because the elections weren’t carried out in accordance with Ukrainian law they ‘can have no legal relevance’ and will deepen the crisis.
The head of the election body in the main rebel city of Donetsk, Roman Lyagin, said inescapable conclusions needed to be drawn from the polls.
‘Kiev has to come to terms with the idea that Donbass is not part of Ukraine,’ he said. ‘Whether they will recognize the result of our vote or not is Kiev’s problem.’
Any hardening of secessionist views portends more unrest in the east, where more than 4,000 people have been killed in six months of fighting between government troops and rebel forces.
US and European sanctions against Russia in response to the Kremlin’s support for the insurgency have dented an economy already teetering on the brink of recession. Investors have balked at taking risks in Moscow and capital flight is at full throttle.
Plans for the election had been condemned by the European Union and the United States, which said it violated Ukrainian law and undermined a 2-month-old cease-fire deal that has existed only on paper.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry indicated in a statement, however, that it would refrain from supporting outright independence for the Donbass, as Ukraine’s heavily industrial eastern regions are known collectively.
‘In view of the elections, it is extremely important to take active steps toward promoting sustained dialogue between central Ukrainian authorities and the representatives of the Donbass,’ the Russian statement said.
A rebuke was swift in coming from Germany, which deems Russia’s position on the vote in the rebel-held areas detrimental to the September truce deal signed in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. That accord envisioned local elections being held across the whole of the east and under Kiev’s supervision.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said that because the elections weren’t carried out in accordance with Ukrainian law they ‘can have no legal relevance’ and will deepen the crisis.
The head of the election body in the main rebel city of Donetsk, Roman Lyagin, said inescapable conclusions needed to be drawn from the polls.
‘Kiev has to come to terms with the idea that Donbass is not part of Ukraine,’ he said. ‘Whether they will recognize the result of our vote or not is Kiev’s problem.’
Any hardening of secessionist views portends more unrest in the east, where more than 4,000 people have been killed in six months of fighting between government troops and rebel forces.
US and European sanctions against Russia in response to the Kremlin’s support for the insurgency have dented an economy already teetering on the brink of recession. Investors have balked at taking risks in Moscow and capital flight is at full throttle.
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