Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (File image)
Photo : AP
In a statement, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry condemned North Korea’s move. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia has no allies in the world except for those countries who are dependent on it financially and politically.
Last month Syria also recognised the separatist republics. After Syri’a move, Kyiv severed all diplomatic ties with Damascus. Earlier in 2018, Syria had also recognised Georgia’s South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.
Russia recognised the self-proclaimed republics on February 24, shortly before invading Ukraine. Donetsk and Luhansk are part of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Pro-Russian forces has been partly controlling the region since 2014. The move was followed by the annexsation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea by Russaian troops.
Last week, Russia claimed to have captured the entire Luhansk province. The fighting has now intensified in Donetsk. Russian forces are trying to consolidate their position in the Donbas region by taking control of both the separatist republics. On Tuesday, the Donetsk separatists inaugurated their “embassy” in Moscow.
