The "People's Republic of Donetsk" declared itself an
independent country on Monday and, within two hours of doing so, had
asked to join
Russia.
The separatist leader Denis Pushilin told journalists that the
self-proclaimed republic would ask Moscow to consider absorbing the
region, which borders Russia.
But it remains extremely doubtful
whether Moscow will carry out a Crimea-style annexation of the region,
which held a controversial referendum on independence on Sunday,
together with neighbouring Luhansk.
According to results announced by the de facto authorities in Donetsk and Luhansk – which also declared independence from
Ukraine
on Monday – about 90% on a turnout of 70% and 96% on a turnout of
nearly 75% respectively voted for state sovereignty. The referendums –
which Kiev has dismissed as illegitimate – were hastily organised and
marked by numerous violations.
The results were roundly condemned
in the west, but Russia said it respected the results. However, instead
of previous statements saying it would protect people in the regions
with troops if need be, the Kremlin called for dialogue between the
government in Kiev and the south-east regions of the country.
"In
Moscow, we respect the will of the people of the Donetsk and Luhansk
regions and are counting on practical implementation of the outcome of
the referendum in a civilised manner, without any repeat of violence and
through dialogue," the Kremlin said.
In a press conference in
Moscow, Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, read out the Kremlin
statement and added that only Russian television channels were telling
"the truth in real time" about the crisis, whereas western news outlets
were hiding the real causes.
Lavrov made no mention of the
controversy over the referendum, merely noting the "high voting
activity" of the population despite attempts from Kiev to disrupt the
vote. He said no new international talks were planned on Ukraine.
Oleksandr
Turchynov, Ukraine's acting president, told the country's parliament:
"The farce which terrorists call the referendum will have no legal
consequences except the criminal responsibility for its organisers."
The
Kremlin has called the new government in Kiev "neo-fascist" and Kiev
has accused Russia of organising the separatist movement by providing
weapons and tactical advice. Nevertheless, Vladimir Putin, the Russian
president, last week asked the separatists to delay their referendum,
which appeared to be an attempt to distance Russia from the vote, but
was ignored.
There were a number of irregularities with the count
and procedure, and it seems unlikely that the figures announced are an
accurate reflection of views in the region, with most of those who
disagreed with the proposition staying at home.
Nevertheless,
there has been an increasing mood of defiance, especially as a Ukrainian
army operation against the armed separatists resulted in multiple
casualties. It is hard to judge how many people support the armed
takeover of government buildings and attempts to separate from Ukraine,
but feelings are running high.
The referendum question was worded
ambiguously, appearing to offer state sovereignty for the Donetsk and
Luhansk "people's republics". Roman Lyagin, head of the de facto central
election committee in Donetsk, said before the vote that nothing would
change in terms of state borders as a result of the vote.
He said
that, in future, the region would be free to decide whether to stay
within Ukraine, become independent or join Russia. In the end, it
apparently took only two hours to make the decision, apparently making a
mockery of what voters had been told in the runup.
In Luhansk,
separatists announced that more than 96% of ballots had been cast in
favour of the independence of the region from Ukraine.
"Congratulations
on the birth of the Luhansk republic," said Vasily Nikitin, deputy head
of the region's separatist movement. "We are now preparing an appeal to
the UN and international community asking them to recognise us."
Nikitin
said the constitution of the new "country" was almost ready, and added
that its residents would not participate in Ukrainian presidential
elections planned for 25 May. Donetsk's de facto authorities have also
said they will not allow voting in the elections. A key demand of Moscow
has been to postpone the elections.
In Luhansk, one resident,
Anatoliy Sukharev, 80, approached Nikitin and asked whether there would
be a second referendum on joining Russia.
"What is next? When are
we going to have this referendum?" he asked. Nikitin said a second
referendum would happen, but the republic needed to "organise as a
country" first.
But for many Ukraine-oriented residents, recent events have been a tragedy.
"My
father is a businessman, now he is trying to sell all his businesses
here before moving away. Many people I know have already left," said
Olesia, 20, who refused to give her last name fearing retribution.
"I can love Luhansk only if it is a Ukrainian Luhansk," she said.
The
eastern regions are entering an uncertain situation, with tension and
anger rising on both sides. Ukrainian army and affiliated paramilitary
units killed unarmed civilians in Mariupol last week and in
Krasnoarmeysk during the voting on Sunday. For their part, the rebels in
Donetsk have taken hostages among pro-Ukraine activists and been
accused of torture.
It is unclear whether either side is ready for
talks. With a number of armed gangs in the region, there is every
danger of conflict with Kiev forces and of events slipping into violent
chaos.
A Kremlin-linked MP, Vyacheslav Nikonov, said the Ukrainian
military operation in eastern Ukraine represented "genuine fascism" and
said that the residents of Luhansk and Donetsk deserved no less
support. "Indeed, they deserve much more support from us, than the
residents of Crimea," he said.
However, he added that Moscow would
have to weigh the "economic, political, and military risks" before
deciding whether it should absorb the regions.
Gazprom, Russia's
state energy company, also told Ukraine it had to settle a $3.5bn (£2bn)
gas debt, and pay in advance for deliveries in June, or be cut off.
In
Brussels, EU foreign ministers added 13 people and two firms to their
visa ban and asset freeze list over Ukraine, according to two officials
who spoke on condition of anonymity because the measure had yet to be
officially announced. The EU has targeted a number of officials but the
sanctions have been far narrower than US sanctions over Ukraine.
