The rebels control about a third of the so-called Donbass Basin, but they claim much more space in their constitution. Putin also takes that as a starting point. The Russian Federation officially established diplomatic relations with the two countries, which other countries have not yet recognized.
The head of state got the green light from parliament on Tuesday to provide military support to Russian-speaking separatists in the neighboring country. This paves the way for direct combat with the Ukrainian army in the areas controlled by Kiev. The separatists now control about 30 percent of Donetsk and Luhansk.
According to Putin, the relocation of Russian soldiers to Ukraine and when depends on the situation. Putin had already said he would send Russian soldiers there on a “peace mission”. However, according to Russian media, they actually crossed the border last night. In his speech, Putin called for a “degree” of demilitarization of Ukraine.
Russian diplomatic staff
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Russia has decided to evacuate its diplomatic staff from Ukraine. Our first priority is the care of Russian diplomats, embassy and consular staff. To protect their lives and safety, the Russian leadership decided to evacuate personnel from Russian missions in Ukraine. ”
The statement said the evacuation would take place “in the very near future.”
