Russia will soon evacuate embassy personnel from Ukraine. This was announced on February 22 by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Under the current circumstances, our first priority is to take care of Russian diplomats and employees of the embassy and consulates general. To protect their lives and safety, the Russian leadership decided to evacuate the personnel of Russian foreign missions in Ukraine, which will be implemented in the very near future, ”the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry says.
The day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DNR and LNR). In addition, the Russian leader and the heads of the Donbass republics signed treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance, which, among other things, provide for the right to build military bases on the territory of the parties and provide military assistance to each other.
Before that, on February 12, the Russian side decided to reduce the number of employees in diplomatic missions in Ukraine. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, noted that in the West, they probably “know about some military actions being prepared in Ukraine that can significantly complicate the security situation.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in turn, did not rule out provocations from Western countries. At the end of January, he said that the Russian Federation would think about precautionary measures against its diplomats in Ukraine.
Earlier, on September 18, 2016, when elections to the State Duma were held in Russia, the electoral process was suspended at the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Odessa, as representatives of nationalist organizations stood at the entrance to the building and did not let voters through.
On June 10, 2016, radicals threw eggs at the Russian Consulate General in Odessa, and also blocked the entrance to the building, disrupting the reception on the occasion of Russia Day. They brought several gallows to the entrance, and people who tried to get into the reception were forced to scream about their guilt in front of Ukraine and kneel down.
The situation on the line of contact in Donbass escalated on February 17. The DPR and LPR reported heavy shelling by Ukrainian security forces, including with heavy weapons. At the same time, Kiev announced the shelling of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Since 2014, the Ukrainian authorities have been conducting a military operation against the inhabitants of Donbass, who refused to recognize the results of the coup d’état and the new government in Ukraine. At the same time, Kiev blames Moscow for the current situation. Russia has repeatedly stated that it is not a party to the intra-Ukrainian conflict. The issues of its settlement are being discussed in the Minsk and Normandy formats.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
