Issue of Russian passports to Donbass residents – instrument of hybrid aggression

On April 24, Russian President signed the executive order of simplified procedure of issue Russian passports to residents of particular districts of Donetsk and Lugansk regions. This order became a great suddenness for international community and for people of Donbass as well, nevertheless there were a lot of unofficial predictions of possible issue of Russian passports among people of self-declared DPR and LPR. Russian medias have already named this issue of Kremlin as “humanitarian mission”, which aim is protection of Russian-speaking people and support of their rights.

Russia acted the same way during the conflicts in Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia. The simple analysis of these conflicts let us think that issuing passports to Donbass residents is nothing but hybrid annexation of Ukrainian territories.

No doubt that military conflict in Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia have different reasons, nevertheless all of them have started because of Russian participation and Russia issued its passports to the residents of conflict’s area. Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia are “grey zones” by that time. These self-declared states are not recognized by the international community. Issue of passports was the instrument to attach these territories to Russia with no responsibility for them at the same time.

The Donbass conflict has the same nature – it was pre-planned and operated by Russian security services. The creation of such puppet states at the territory of Ukrainian Donbass has the only aim to stop the eurointegration process in Ukraine. Whenever Ukraine took a step to the European Union, this long time frozen conflict could become real war. Russia supports DPR and LPR with money, ammunition and military experts.

The issue of Russian passports will aggravate the current situation and let Russia approve the direct invasion to Ukraine by calling it “defense of Russian citizens”. At the same time, it is worth mentioning that Retirement Fund of Russia is not going to provide any payments for “Russian citizens” who stay at the territory, which is out of Ukrainian administration control. It means real social support and protection of Donbass people are not the aim of Kremlin and issue of passports is just the instrument to pressure Ukraine. Russia tries to maintain its geopolitical influence on Ukraine by violation of international law.

Russia has already started and maintained military conflicts in Transnistria, South Ossetia, Abkhazia. All these acts were not situational approaches, but state policy of Russia in regards to post-soviet countries. In such situation the dialogue with Russia is senseless, as Russia has no intention to achieve peace in the regions mentioned above. Donbass is not the exclusion, it is springboard for attack on Ukraine. Pacification of aggressor becomes dangerous for those who tries to pacify him.

 

Uh what?
Cut and paste from foreign article?
The Ukraine is lovely this time of year btw.