The Sydney Morning Herald reported that one of the rebel leaders in Ukraine had issued a statement declaring Donetsk as an independent state, forging the way for Russia to absorb the eastern Ukraine district and its adjoining Lugansk district. Rebel leader Denis Pushilin, who made the declaration of independence on behalf of the People's Republic of Donetsk following a secession vote held on Sunday. About 90% in Donetsk and 96% in Lugansk reportedly said "yes" to the secession of the region.
The Kremlin said in a statement that it is merely acknowledging the outcome of the referenda that happened in the former Ukrainian areas in a rare act of diplomacy. Russia has sparked an international outcry for what was dubbed by observers as an invasive seizure in another Ukrainian area, Crimea, under the guise that it was simply protecting the rights of its Rusian cousins. The presence of troops in Crimea had cost Russia economic sanctions that could very well threaten its already beleaguered economy.
"In Moscow, we respect the will of the people of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions and are counting on practical implementation of the outcome of the referendum in a civilized manner, without any repeat of violence and through dialogue," a Kremlin statement said.
On the other hand, SMH said that it remains to be seen whether Russia would enjoy the same kind of freedoms it was able to have in Crimea in its potential new Donetsh and Lugansk districts. Nonetheless, the rebel leaders who had initiated the secession is fast-tracking its actions to be able to get recognized as a separate region ahead of the May 25 presidential elections in Ukraine.
Separatist leader Vasily Nikitin said, "Congratulations on the birth of the Lugansk republic," the separatist leader Vasily Nikitin said. "We are now preparing an appeal to the UN and international community asking them to recognize us."
