Iran Press/ Europe: The leaders of Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, called on Putin to recognize these regions as independent republics.
Last week, the Russian Duma sent a petition to the Russian president urging him to recognize the independence of the Donbas separatists from Ukraine.
Putin's decision to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk was made after a meeting of the Russian Security Council and the affirmative vote of all its members. In other words, there is a consensus among senior Russian political, military, and security officials on this issue.
Putin recognizes Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states
Developments in recent weeks and rising tensions and clashes in eastern Ukraine, known as Donbas, have greatly increased the likelihood of a fundamental change in the region.
Since February 2014, when a pro-Western government took office in Ukraine with the help of the West, Russians in Donetsk and Luhansk have called for independence from Ukraine, because of the threat from Kyiv, Europe, and the United States.
Due to the extensive historical, cultural, linguistic, and economic ties between these regions and Russia, Moscow supported them against the invasion of the Ukrainian army.
Although the war in eastern Ukraine ended in a ceasefire with the signing of the Minsk agreement, there have always been clashes between separatists and Ukrainian troops.
But in recent weeks, following a massive Russian-led offensive on Ukraine's western border with neighboring Ukraine, US-led Western nations have claimed that Moscow intends to launch a large-scale offensive against Ukraine. A claim that has been repeatedly denied by senior Russian officials.
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Now that Russia has recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, accompanied by similar actions by countries such as Cuba and Venezuela, it appears that Russia intends to clarify once and for all the task of eastern Ukraine, which has been unresolved for the past seven years.
Moscow has repeatedly called on the Kyiv government to implement the provisions of the Minsk agreement on eastern Ukraine, including granting autonomy to the region. However, the Ukrainian government has refused to comply with this request, and in return, according to the leaders of Donetsk and Luhansk, has deployed tens of thousands of troops near the Donbas and shelled the area, as well as infiltration operations. In a way, the clashes have increased sharply in the last few days.
Now the pro-Western Ukrainian government, which has entered the arena of confrontation with Russia in the hope of Western support and has pursued the issue of NATO membership vigorously, despite numerous warnings from Moscow, is forced to respond to Russia's unprecedented move to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk react.
Kyiv has two options:
Hope for the fruitfulness of Western sanctions against Russia, which have promised harsh sanctions against Moscow, including expelling Russia from Swift and banning the export of basic Russian goods, or to prevent a repeat of the scenario of Crimea's annexation to Russia in 2014, launch a massive military offensive on Donbas and defeat the separatists, and return the region to Ukrainian territory.
Given the invitation of the leaders of Donetsk and Luhansk from Moscow to the presence of Russian forces in these areas to maintain their security, this would mean a wide-ranging battle between Russia and Ukraine. A war that would be very destructive given the firepower of both sides, especially Russia.
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In fact, the pro-Western leaders of Ukraine, with the promises of the West and provocative actions, especially the attempt to join the Western camp and join NATO, which is the red line of Russia's interests and national security, have laid the groundwork for the current dire situation in Ukraine.
Javad Vaidi, an international relations expert, says that the reason for Vladimir Putin's aggressive strategy to carry out the unfinished mission in Ukraine is to ensure the security and survival of the new Russia. If Russia loses again for any reason and in any way, the next step will be the collapse and disintegration of the Russian Federation and the rise to power of the Westerners in Moscow.
Written by Seyed Reza Mirtaher
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