While pro-Putin figures celebrate, some are more critical and fear a war could yet break out [File: Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters]
Al Jazeera: Russians bemoan Putin’s decision to recognise ‘republics’
While government-friendly media celebrate, many outside the corridors of power are critical of their president’s latest move.
Saint Petersburg, Russia – On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to officially recognise the breakaway, self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR, respectively) in war-torn eastern Ukraine.
The move has sent fears through much of Europe that this will give Russia a reason to launch a wider military campaign on Ukrainian territory, perhaps sparking open war.
While those fears surged in Western nations, in Russia, pro-Putin figures celebrated.
Press and commentators friendly to the government praised the decree, with Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of Russian state-owned news network RT and longtime advocate for the recognition of the people’s republics, known collectively as Donbas, calling it an “overdue decision”.
“Happy birthday, Donbas!” she proclaimed on her Telegram channel.
“Happiness lies not in euros, lads!” Olga Skabeeva, host of the Russia 1 TV channel wrote on her Telegram as the price of the rouble fell against the euro. “Long live the Russian world and Russian people!”
….
WNU Editor: Among my large circle of family/friends/and contacts in Russia, everyone (with the exception of those I know who work for the government) are opposed to this political and military intervention in the separatist regions of Ukraine.
If you break it, you own it. And this involvement is not going to be cheap. There is also a very real possibility of escalating into a major war that has the potential of costing hundreds of billions of dollars. Sighhhh …. money better spent in Russia than occupying and rebuilding a messed-up Ukraine.
Category: Ukraine Crisis
