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Separatists claim victory, call for Russia to annex part of eastern Ukraine Separatists claim victory, call for Russia to annex part of eastern Ukraine
(about 1 hour later)
DONETSK, Ukraine — Pro-Russian militants Monday claimed a runaway victory in eastern Ukraine’s controversial self-rule vote, and armed insurgents promptly demanded that Ukrainian security forces leave the separatists’ “sovereign” territory and urged Russia to consider absorbing it. DONETSK, Ukraine — Separatists in eastern Ukraine proclaimed the birth of two new “sovereign” republics on Monday after claiming victory in controversial self-rule referendums, and one of the regions promptly asked to join Russia.
In an ominous statement that could presage more intense fighting, leaders of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic also demanded that Ukrainian security forces leave the separatists’ territory.
“Based on the will of the people and on the restoration of a historic justice, we ask the Russian Federation to consider the absorption of the Donetsk People’s Republic into the Russian Federation,” Denis Pushilin, a separatist leader, told a news conference. “The people of Donetsk have always been part of the Russian world. For us, the history of Russia is our history.”“Based on the will of the people and on the restoration of a historic justice, we ask the Russian Federation to consider the absorption of the Donetsk People’s Republic into the Russian Federation,” Denis Pushilin, a separatist leader, told a news conference. “The people of Donetsk have always been part of the Russian world. For us, the history of Russia is our history.”
(See Timeline: Key events in Ukraine’s crisis) [See Timeline: Key events in Ukraine’s crisis.]
Russian authorities were restrained in their response to Pushilin’s request, repeating calls they made earlier in the day for negotiations within Ukraine. Leaders of the parallel Luhansk People’s Republic told a crowd in the region’s capital that they proposed to join with Donetsk to form a new republic called “Novorossiya,” or New Russia, Ukrainian media reported. According to a spokesman, the leaders were also considering whether to stage a second referendum to ask people outright if they wanted to join Russia.
Russia’s immediate response was cautious, repeating an earlier call for negotiations within Ukraine.
“We reaffirm the need for the immediate establishment of a broad discussion in Ukraine concerning its future state structure, involving all political forces and the country’s regions,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the authorities in Kiev continue to demonstrate criminal unwillingness to engage in dialogue with their people.”“We reaffirm the need for the immediate establishment of a broad discussion in Ukraine concerning its future state structure, involving all political forces and the country’s regions,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the authorities in Kiev continue to demonstrate criminal unwillingness to engage in dialogue with their people.”
Pushilin issued his appeal to Russia after another separatist leader demanded the departure of Ukrainian security forces from the Donetsk region. Ukraine’s government has denounced the referendums as “criminal farce” arranged by a “gang of Russian terrorists,” while the United States and European Union have called them illegal. But Kiev says it is willing to talk with regional leaders about autonomy and to grant amnesty to people who lay down their arms.
“All the soldiers and officers of the armed forces, internal security forces, the Security Service, the Interior Ministry and other paramilitary structures of Ukraine from now on are considered to be illegally within the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR),” said a statement attributed to rebel military commander Igor Strelkov and distributed in pamphlets in the separatist-held cities of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. “Within 48 hours they are required to swear allegiance to the DPR or leave the country.” The twin referendums asked voters whether they supported “self-determination” for the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics respectively. But separatist leaders were deliberately vague about what that meant, saying that the question of whether to seek federal autonomy within Ukraine, independence or absorption into Russia would be left to a later date.
Separatists claimed that 89 percent of the people who voted in Donetsk and 96 percent of those in Luhansk supported the referendum question. The result could not be independently verified, and the way the referendum was administered — by the separatists themselves — lacked international credibility. Yet the votes appeared to reflect genuine and widespread mistrust of the interim government in Kiev, which came to power in February after pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych fled in the face of popular protests.
Most people who opposed the referendum simply stayed away from polling stations. Many of those who voted “yes” said they wanted to remain with Ukraine but had turned out to express their anger at Kiev, especially for the deaths of pro-Russian activists and unarmed citizens during clashes in the port cities of Odessa and Mariupol.
Once they had secured what they considered to be a popular mandate, separatists in Donetsk did not take long to reveal their true intentions.
In the rebel stronghold of Slovyansk, a Russian who portrays himself as the rebels’ military commander demanded the departure of Ukrainian security forces.
“All the soldiers and officers of the armed forces, internal security forces, the Security Service, the Interior Ministry and other paramilitary structures of Ukraine from now on are considered to be illegally within the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR),” said a statement attributed to rebel military commander Igor Strelkov and distributed in pamphlets in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. “Within 48 hours they are required to swear allegiance to the DPR or leave the country.”
European Union documents and Ukrainian authorities identify Strelkov as a member of the Russian military intelligence agency GRU.European Union documents and Ukrainian authorities identify Strelkov as a member of the Russian military intelligence agency GRU.
While the authenticity of the pamphlets could not be independently verified, separatist leaders in Donetsk also said that one of their main priorities was to fight representatives of the Kiev government. “We will propose they either shift to the people’s side, or ask them to leave our territory,” Pushilin told reporters. While the authenticity of the pamphlets could not be independently verified, separatist leaders in Donetsk also said that one of their main priorities was to fight representatives of the Kiev government. “We will propose they either shift to the people’s side, or ask them to leave our territory,” Pushilin said.
Rebel leaders in Donetsk and Luhansk said Sunday’s vote had established two new “sovereign” republics. One of the twin referendums called for the establishment of a Donetsk People’s Republic and the other for the creation of a Luhansk People’s Republic. Crimea, an autonomous Ukrainian region with a majority ethnic Russian population, voted in a hastily called referendum in March to join the Russian Federation. That vote was followed by a declaration of independence, then Russia’s swift annexation of the region.
The separatist leaders were adamant that Ukrainian presidential and mayoral elections scheduled for May 25 would not take place on what they now consider to be their territory. But if Russia attempted to take over eastern Ukraine as well, full-scale war could erupt, since the region is not as solidly pro-Russian as Crimea, and Ukrainian military forces have shown signs of being more determined to fight back.
“We have turned a new page in Europe for those nations who have the right of self-determination,” Pushilin said. Separatist leaders in both regions were adamant that Ukrainian presidential and mayoral elections scheduled for May 25 would not take place on what they now consider to be their territory.
Roman Lyagin, the head of the separatists’ election commission in Donetsk, said that “in my opinion, joining Russia would be appropriate.” Russian news agency RIA Novosti said Luhansk may hold a referendum on joining Russia. “If this decision is taken, then, respectively, the will of the people will be taken into account,” the agency quoted a spokesman for the separatists as saying.
Vasily Nikitin, a spokesman for the insurgents in Luhansk said the region will not vote in Ukraine’s May 25 elections, according to the Associated Press. In Donetsk, Pushilin said he did not trust the Kiev government, blaming it for the breakdown of the Geneva accords and the deaths of pro-Russian activists in Odessa earlier this month, which he said “had reduced the window of opportunity for negotiations .
Russian news agency RIA Novosti said Luhansk may hold a referendum on joining Russia. “If this decision is taken, then, respectively, the will of the people will be taken into account,” the agency quoted a spokesman for the Luhansk region’s pro-Russian separatists as saying.
A referendum organizer was reported as saying that 96.2 percent of voters supported autonomy for Luhansk and would seek recognition from the United Nations.
“As of today, we are now the Republic of Luhansk, which believes it to be inappropriate and perhaps even stupid to hold a presidential election,” RIA Novosti quoted the spokesman as saying.
Pushilin said he did not trust the Kiev government, blaming it for the breakdown of the Geneva accords and the deaths of pro-Russian activists in Odessa earlier this month, which he said “had reduced the window of opportunity for negotiations.”
“The only topic to negotiate with Kiev is over swapping hostages,” he said, adding that any other subjects would require international mediation.“The only topic to negotiate with Kiev is over swapping hostages,” he said, adding that any other subjects would require international mediation.
Earlier, the Kremlin bolstered the rebels’ credibility by calling for dialogue with the Kiev government. With positions hardening and fears mounting of a spiral into all-out civil war, the Kremlin said the results of Sunday’s referendum — declared a farce by Kiev and illegal by the West — should be carried out “in a civilized way,” without violence.
With positions hardening and fears mounting of a spiral into civil war, the Kremlin said the results of Sunday’s referendum, declared a farce by Kiev and illegal by the West, should be carried out “in a civilized way,” without violence. The Kremlin statement was aimed at lending legitimacy to the ad hoc vote in two regions of eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin statement appeared to be aimed at lending legitimacy to the referendums, saying that Russia respects “the will of the population of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions” and noting “high voter turnout despite attempts to disrupt the voting.”
“Moscow respects the will of the population of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and hopes that the practical implementation of the referendums’ results will proceed in a civilized way, without repeated outbreaks of violence and through a dialogue between representatives of Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk,” the government of Russian President Vladi­mir Putin said in a statement. But the vote seemed to further widen divisions between Russia and the West.
It said that “all mediation efforts will be welcome,” including by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the group that has sought to foster negotiations to quell rising violence in Ukraine. Russia’s state-backed gas company, Gazprom, warned Monday that it would cut off gas supplies to Ukraine as early as June 3 if the Kiev government does not start paying for the gas in advance.
But although the Kremlin noted “high voter turnout despite attempts to disrupt the voting,” it did not make clear its interpretation of what the referendums were calling for — independence from Ukraine, more autonomy for the region or simply empowerment for the pro-Russian separatists who have seized buildings in the east to speak on behalf of the population there. The threat was the most explicit yet that Russia is willing to use gas supplies as a tool to exert pressure on Ukraine. Such a cutoff would also throttle energy supplies to the rest of Europe, since a significant portion of the natural gas that the continent uses passes through Ukraine. However, demand for the fuel is significantly lower in the summer than during the winter, softening the impact of a June cutoff.
Putin last week issued a surprise call for the vote to be postponed, but the rebels rebuffed it, arguing that they would lose popular trust if they did so.
In a move seen as potentially increasing pressure on the Kiev government and its European supporters, Russia’s state-backed gas company, Gazprom, warned Monday that it would cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine as early as June 3 if Ukraine does not start paying for the gas in advance. Such a cutoff would throttle energy supplies to the rest of Europe, since a significant portion of the natural gas that the continent uses passes through Ukraine.
“It’s time to stop messing around,” Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in a meeting with Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak that was broadcast on Kremlin-backed news channels. “I think Gazprom has taken all possible steps to resolve this matter by other means.”“It’s time to stop messing around,” Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in a meeting with Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak that was broadcast on Kremlin-backed news channels. “I think Gazprom has taken all possible steps to resolve this matter by other means.”
Miller then announced that Ukraine in June would receive only the gas it has paid for by June 2. Russia cut off natural gas shipments to Ukraine in 2006 and 2009, severely hampering supplies to the rest of Europe, which gets about 15 percent of its natural gas from pipelines that pass through Ukrainian territory. Gazprom says Ukraine owes it $3.5 billion for gas shipments in 2013 and this year.
If Gazprom were to cut off natural gas, supplies to Europe could be severely limited, although the demand for the fuel is significantly lower in the summer than during the winter. Many European countries are deeply dependent on Russian natural gas as an energy source. But Ukrainian authorities have contested that figure, saying that the gas company is charging extortionate, politically motivated rates. Gazprom last month nearly doubled its prices for gas sent to Ukraine, setting them higher than in any E.U. nation.
The threat was the most explicit yet that Russia is willing to use gas supplies as a tool to exert pressure on Ukraine. Earlier Monday, European Union foreign ministers expanded sanctions over Russia’s actions in Ukraine, adding two Crimean companies and 13 people to the bloc’s sanctions list, Reuters news agency reported ahead of a meeting in Brussels.
Russia cut off natural gas shipments to Ukraine in 2006 and 2009, severely hampering the supplies to the rest of Europe, which gets about 15 percent of its natural gas from pipelines that pass through Ukrainian territory. Gazprom says that Ukraine owes it $3.5 billion for gas shipments in 2013 and this year. But Ukrainian authorities have contested that figure, saying that the gas company is charging extortionate, politically motivated rates. Gazprom last month nearly doubled its prices for gas sent to Ukraine, setting them higher than in any E.U. nation.
In Donetsk, Lyagin, who heads the Central Elections Commission of the Donetsk People’s Republic, told Russia’s Interfax news agency that preliminary results from Sunday’s referendum suggested that 89 percent of the voters supported some sort of self-rule.
Crimea, an autonomous Ukrainian region with a majority ethnic Russian population, voted in a hastily called referendum in March to join the Russian Federation. That vote was followed by a declaration of independence, then Russia’s swift annexation of the region. But if Russia attempted to take over eastern Ukraine as well, war would likely erupt, since the region is not as solidly pro-Russian and Ukrainian military forces have shown signs of being more determined to fight back.
The wording of Sunday’s referendum was vague, asking whether voters favored self-determination rather than outright independence or joining Russia. That meant some of those voting yes wanted more autonomy but not necessarily to split from Ukraine.
But the vote infuriated the Ukrainian government. The Foreign Ministry called it a “criminal farce” arranged by a “gang of Russian terrorists,” reflecting the government’s view that Russian agents are behind the breakaway movement. Many residents who oppose the separatist movement boycotted the vote.
Both the European Union and the Obama administration said they would not recognize the results of the balloting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which they called illegal.
European Union foreign ministers expanded sanctions Monday over Russia’s actions in Ukraine, adding two Crimean companies and 13 people to the bloc’s sanctions list, Reuters news agency reported ahead of a meeting in Brussels.
The sanctions are in addition to measures affecting 48 Russians and Ukrainians, who have already been targeted with E.U. asset freezes and visa bans since Russia annexed Crimea in March.The sanctions are in addition to measures affecting 48 Russians and Ukrainians, who have already been targeted with E.U. asset freezes and visa bans since Russia annexed Crimea in March.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said before the meeting that it was essential to show Moscow the E.U. is ready to step up measures “depending on Russia’s attitude” toward Ukraine’s May 25 elections. British Foreign Secretary William Hague said before the meeting that it was essential to show Moscow the E.U. is ready to step up measures “depending on Russia’s attitude” toward Ukraine’s May 25 presidential and mayoral elections.
The German government has been spearheading a move to have the OSCE launch talks between rival factions in Ukraine. On Monday, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said the first such “round table” discussions were scheduled to begin Wednesday, with participants including representatives from the interim government in Kiev, the Ukrainian parliament and Ukraine’s regions. Meanwhile, the German government has been spearheading a move to have the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) launch talks between rival factions in Ukraine. German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said the first such “round table” discussions were scheduled to begin Wednesday, with participants including representatives from the interim government in Kiev, the Ukrainian parliament and Ukraine’s regions.
But he did not specify which groups in the regions had agreed to meet, or, importantly, whether they would include any of those who organized the referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk. But he did not specify which groups in the regions had agreed to meet, or, importantly, whether they would include any of those who organized the referendums in Donetsk and Luhansk.
German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schäfer said the OSCE has appointed a former German diplomat, Wolfgang Ischinger, to moderate the negotiations. He said Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was heading to Kiev and eastern Ukraine for talks on Tuesday and would travel to France later that evening to discuss the crisis with his counterpart in Paris, Laurent Fabius.German Foreign Ministry spokesman Martin Schäfer said the OSCE has appointed a former German diplomat, Wolfgang Ischinger, to moderate the negotiations. He said Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was heading to Kiev and eastern Ukraine for talks on Tuesday and would travel to France later that evening to discuss the crisis with his counterpart in Paris, Laurent Fabius.
Late Sunday night, Lyagin said that nearly three-quarters of the 3.32 million eligible voters in the region had cast ballots, a figure that could not be confirmed independently. Polls have indicated that most residents of eastern Ukraine would prefer to stay part of that country.
The vote will complicate Ukraine’s efforts to reestablish order in the wake of a revolt that ousted the country’s pro-Russian president in February and prompted a backlash in the east. Ukraine is vowing to go ahead with the elections in two weeks. But given Sunday’s result, Lyagin said, “it is not logical to have the presidential election here on the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic.” The U.S. and European governments have threatened Russia with further sanctions if the national vote is disrupted. Still, many residents of eastern Ukraine are deeply unhappy with the Western-leaning national government that came to power in February. They consider it to be illegal and in league with ultra-nationalist groups, and some worry that the large population of Russian-speakers living in the east will be treated as second-class citizens. Their fears have been magnified by aggressive Russian propaganda.
Ukrainian troops have been trying to wrest back control of eastern cities where separatists have seized government buildings and set up checkpoints manned by militias. Despite the government’s condemnation of the vote, its armed forces generally allowed balloting to proceed Sunday. But Ukrainian national guardsmen shut down the voting in the eastern city of Krasnoarmeysk and later fired into a crowd outside the town hall, news services reported. The Associated Press said one of its photographers saw two people lying motionless on the ground after the clash. Pushilin, a leader of the rebellion, told the Itar-Tass news agency that there were an unspecified number of deaths. Birnbaum reported from Moscow. Kunkle reported from Kiev. Anthony Faiola in Berlin, Daniela Deane in London and Alex Ryabchyn in Donetsk contributed to this report.
Russia is almost certain to embrace the vote as legitimate. In a pre-recorded speech that blared over loudspeakers in a rebel military camp in Luhansk, Russian nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky congratulated people for their “absolute victory.”
“We’ll live a peaceful life in Russia together, and Kiev will always lose,” Zhirinovsky said. Russia has massed roughly 40,000 troops on its border with Ukraine and has threatened to intervene if the rights of ethnic Russians are violated.
Many observers say the referendum lacks any credibility. Names were checked against a 2012 voters’ list, but anyone who turned up with a passport was allowed to vote, even if they weren’t on the list.
Indeed, in one polling station in the city of Mariupol, many people brought multiple passports on behalf of relatives and openly filled out two, three or even four ballot slips themselves.
The ballots lacked markings that could prevent them from being widely copied. The people staffing the polling stations and counting the ballots were activists who supported a yes vote. There were no international oversight missions.
Nonetheless, many people in the region — at least those who voted — will see it as a powerful expression of popular will.
At the very least, the lines of voters appeared to reflect a significant protest vote against the central government in Kiev.
But whether residents were seeking to join Russia was unclear. The ballots asked voters whether they supported what could be translated variously as “independence,” “sovereignty” or “self-determination” for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
“My problem is not Ukraine, it is the authorities in Kiev,” said Anton Karpov, a 31-year-old employee of a coal mine.
Polls have indicated that most residents of eastern Ukraine would prefer to stay part of that country. That’s a far different attitude than in Crimea.
Still, many residents of eastern Ukraine are deeply unhappy with the Western-leaning national government that came to power in February after President Viktor Yanukovych was forced from office; many consider the new government to be illegal and in league with ultra-nationalist groups. Some worry that the large population of Russian-speakers living in the east will be treated as second-class citizens by the new government. Their fears have been magnified by aggressive Russian propaganda.
Opponents of the separatist movement largely stayed away from polling stations Sunday. The referendum “is not legal,” said a 35-year-old businessman who gave his name only as Dmitry and was walking in a Donetsk park with his wife. He said he would not vote. “It’s just people with guns,” he said. “It is not a democratic referendum.”
Birnbaum reported from Moscow. Kunkle reported from Kiev. Anna Nemstova in Luhansk and Horlivka, Daniela Deane in London, Anthony Faiola in Berlin and Alex Ryabchyn in Donetsk contributed to this report.