Russia recognizes Ukraine’s separatist areas as independent states

Moscow, Feb 21:  After an hour-long televised address, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed decree to recognize eastern Ukraine’s two rebel regions Donetsk and Luhansk as independent sovereign states. “I deem it necessary to make a decision that should have been made a long time ago to immediately recognize the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People’s Republics,” he said in his address. Putin also termed Ukraine an integral part to Russia. “The situation in Donbass is critical… Let me tell once again that Ukraine is not just a neighboring country for us. It is an integral part of our own history, culture, and spiritual world. Ukraine is more than a neighbor. Lenin was the creator and architect of Ukraine, including the region of Donbas,” he said. Minutes before Putin’s address, Kremlin issued a statement about the decision to recognize the independence of eastern Ukraine’s breakaway regions. The statement said that the President conveyed the decision to French and German counterparts. “President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin had telephone conversations with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron and Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Olaf Scholz,” Kremlin said in a statement. Kremlin further added that Putin informed about the results of the expanded meeting of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, which considered the current situation around Donbass in the context of the State Duma’s decision on the recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. “Today, appeals were received from the leadership of the DPR and LPR to recognize their sovereignty in connection with the military aggression of the Ukrainian authorities, massive shelling of the territory of Donbass, as a result of which the civilian population suffers,” Kremlin stated. “In view of all this, the President of Russia said that he intended to sign a corresponding decree in the near future. The President of France Emmanuel Macron and the Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz expressed their disappointment with Putin’s recognition of Ukraine rebels,” Kremlin added.

US President Joe Biden has issued an executive order banning any new investment and trade with the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics (DPR and LPR), and more measures in response to Russia’s recognition of the two regions will be announced tomorrow, a senior administration official told reporters on Monday. “We have long anticipated that Russia might take this action and as you saw, we were ready to respond immediately,” the official said. “President Biden has issued today an executive order that will prohibit new investment, trade, financing by US persons to, from or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions.” The order will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person deciding to operate in those areas. “We will take further measures tomorrow to hold Russia accountable for this clear violation of international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as of Russia’s own international commitments,” the official added.