Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today accused Russia of violating the territorial integrity of his country by recognizing the independence of the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky today accused Russia of violating the territorial integrity of his country by recognizing the independence of the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, where the Kremlin will also deploy troops supposedly to pacify Donbas.
“All responsibility for the consequences of such a decision rests with the leadership of Russia,” Zelensky said during a televised address.
Zelensky, who the first thing he did when the Russian announcement was made known was to telephone US President Joe Biden and urgently convene the National Security and Defense Council, was referring to the unanimous international condemnation and the imminent Western sanctions against Moscow .
Donbas is Ukrainian territory
“Ukraine unequivocally qualifies Russia’s latest actions as a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its state,” denounced the Ukrainian president.
At the same time, he stressed that “Russia’s statements and actions” will not succeed in changing the internationally recognized borders of his country.
Zelensky stressed that the decision of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, could mean Russia’s unilateral renunciation of the Minsk Peace Agreements and the decisions adopted with Germany and France in the Normandy format.
“That undermines peace efforts and destroys the current negotiating formats,” he said.
In February 2015, the Minsk Agreements, signed with French and German mediation, put an end to the large-scale war in Donbas and established a ceasefire between the Ukrainian Army and pro-Russian militias that has been repeatedly violated.
Russian military intervention
In addition, he denounced that, with today’s decision, “Russia legalizes its troops, which were in the occupied territories of Donbas since 2014”, alluding to Moscow’s covert military support for the armed uprising in Donbas.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine is still committed to peace and a political-diplomatic settlement to the conflict, and insisted that his country will not fall “into any provocation.”
“Under article 51 of the UN, Ukraine reserves the right for individual and collective self-defense. We know how to differentiate provocations and offensives by enemy troops very well,” he added.
While assuring that he will never hide the truth from the people in the event of increased risks to their security, he stressed that “now there is no reason for chaotic actions.”
UN: last resort
Zelenski highlighted having urgently convened a meeting of the UN Security Council, another of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and a summit of the Normandy Format.
And he was convinced that the territory of Ukraine is “solidly defended”, although almost 150,000 Russian soldiers are deployed on its border between land, sea and air troops, to which must now be added the contingent sent by Putin to Donbas.
Kiev denounces that Moscow and the rebels orchestrated a disinformation campaign about an imminent Ukrainian offensive, which led the rebels to announce the general mobilization of older men and the evacuation of the civilian population to Russia.
Next, the pro-Russian leaders asked the head of the Kremlin for recognition of their independence, who announced his decision on Monday after an intervention on television.
Ukraine ready to take up arms
Hours before Putin’s announcement was made known, former volunteers who fought in Donbas were willing to take up arms to fight Russia in the east of the country.
“The Army has improved a lot. The most important thing is that we already have experience on the battlefield. Psychologically, we are more prepared. We are willing to die for Ukraine,” Yevgueni told Efe in the center of Kiev.
He considers that Putin “is completely crazy”, so the attack can come “from anywhere”.
“I have to be grateful to Putin for one thing. He has managed to unite us. That was not there eight years ago, ”he stressed.
Meanwhile, Yaroslav, who participated in both the Maidan revolution and the conflict in Donbas, warned that the Ukrainian people are willing to fight “against Putin, but not all”.
“I estimate that 60% yes, but the other 40% are sold and will receive the Russian tanks with flowers,” he said sadly.