The interim President of Ukraine said today, ‘in these
regions [Luhansk, Donetsk, Odessa] there are whole structures working together
with the terrorists.’ ‘This is a colossal problem.’ Yes.
In Odessa the situation has largely calmed down. In Kherson, 36 suspected pro-Russian militants, who were traveling from Crimea to Odessa, were taken into custody by the Ukrainian military forces.
In Donetsk Region, Ukrainian forces reclaimed
significant parts of the city of Slovyansk. Although, the city centre remains
under the control of heavily armed pro-Russian militants. The Ukrainian
military reported six casualties among its troops as well as nearly 100 wounded.
The number of casualties among the pro-Russian troops is unknown, but according
to both Ukrainian and separatists reports, it is said to be quite high.
The Luhansk Regional Council has
made a joint statement with the separatists in which it agreed to hold a
referendum regarding the autonomy of the region. Under Ukrainian law it is
illegal for a region to hold a referendum. Referendums can only be held
nationally. Therefore, the statement in Luhansk signals the loss of control
over the region by Kyiv..
From
Ian Birell, in the Guardian:
Meanwhile the economic side of the
equation is increasingly important. Just as in Crimea, many eastern Ukrainians
– from pensioners to police officers – told me they were seduced by Moscow's
fiscal strength. Some yearn for Soviet-era stability. With their currency
tumbling, the economy crumbling and incomes falling amid unrest, it is easy to
point the finger at the supposed "fascists" in Kyiv and blame their
"coup" for the current financial pain.
While many Ukrainians lust after a
European future, they are spurned by a divided continent that talks tough but
delivers only the mildest rebukes to Moscow. The most recent set of EU
sanctions were so weak they caused the Russian stock exchange to rebound. The
British worry about the City of London, the French about defence deals, and
Germans about their energy supplies and history. All this is understandable,
especially at a time of economic recovery. But it is hard not to wonder if
history will judge this the ultimate betrayal of Ukraine.
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