Russia's Parliament Votes To Recognize Separatist Regions In Eastern Ukraine

Russia's State Duma. Sophia Sandurskaya / Moskva News Agency

Moscow Times: Russian Parliament Backs Plan to Recognize Breakaway Ukrainian Regions

The motion raises tensions, even as Russian troops begin a partial withdrawal from the Ukrainian border.

Russia’s State Duma on Tuesday backed a resolution calling for diplomatic recognition of Eastern Ukraine’s pro-Russian Donbas People’s Republics, raising tensions between Russia and Ukraine another notch, even as Russian troops began a partial withdrawal from the Ukrainian border.

The Russian parliament’s motion calls for President Vladimir Putin to formally recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, both of which declared independence from Ukraine in 2014.

No other country currently recognizes the republics as sovereign states.

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WNU Editor: Russian President Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that he is not going to recognize these two Donbass republics (for now) .... Press review: Donbass recognition on hold and why Russia had to flex its military muscle (TASS).

Update: The U.S. has condemned this move to recognize breakaway Russian regions .... US' Blinken warns Russia against declaring Ukraine breakaway regions independent (Reuters), as well as the EU .... EU makes new threat to Russia (RT).