Ukraine Rebels Announce New 'state'
Sumaira FH Published July 18, 2017 | 05:30 PM
KIEV, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jul, 2017 ) : Russian-backed rebels fighting against Kiev announced on Tuesday a plan to create a new "state" they said would take the place of Ukraine and have its capital in their territory.
Ukraine's pro-Western authorities immediately ridiculed the idea as a Kremlin project that they would never allow to get off the ground. The separatists said the proposed country would be founded after a referendum and called Malorossiya, a tsarist-era name meaning "Little Russia" that once described most of the area covering modern-day Ukraine.
A constitution presented by rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko said his self-declared Donetsk People's Republic, neighbouring rebel-held Lugansk and other regions had agreed to "declare the establishment of a new state, which is the successor of Ukraine." The document -- released by the separatists' news agency -- said rebel bastion Donetsk would become the capital, while Kiev would be reduced to the status of a "historical and cultural centre".
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin quickly derided the plan on Twitter as another "show" by the insurgents' "Kremlin puppet masters". "We and our partners will not let this happen," he vowed.
The proposal seems to stand no chance of gaining traction and even the insurgents appeared unable to agree on it.
The press service for Lugansk rebel chief Igor Plotnitsky said he had not been consulted on the project.
- A 'violation' - ================= The surprise announcement of Malorossiya could, however, further dent an already stalled peace process that has failed to end more than three years of figthing that has claimed the lives of some 10,000 people.
A deal brokered by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany in Mink in 2015 has hit a wall but is still viewed by those involved as the only way of unwinding Ukraine's war. France's foreign ministry called on Moscow "to denounce" the rebel announcement, which it described as a "violation" of the peace deal.
"Russia has to intensify its efforts to put an end to this conflict," a statement said. The proposal by the rebels echoed language used by the Kremlin in the early days of the conflict that promoted fears Russia was looking to annex swathes of mainland Ukraine after its seizure of the Crimea peninsula.
Moscow used the tsarist-era name "Novorossiya" (New Russia) to refer to the areas the rebels had seized, but the term was later dropped. Ukraine and the West insist that Moscow has funneled troops and arms across the border to fan the flames of the war in Europe's backyard.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From World
-
NFL will allow players to wear Guardian Cap helmets in games
18 minutes ago -
Football: German Bundesliga table
18 minutes ago -
Football: Italian Serie A result
18 minutes ago -
Football: German Bundesliga results
18 minutes ago -
US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawal
18 minutes ago -
Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister
28 minutes ago
-
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
38 minutes ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
38 minutes ago -
6,000 French police to welcome Olympic torch amid bonus boost
58 minutes ago -
Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
1 hour ago -
'Ballistic' Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase
1 hour ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
1 hour ago