The rebel leaders of east Ukraine’s two self-proclaimed republics have asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognise the independence of their breakaway territories in a coordinated appeal on Monday, and Putin says is considering their appeal.
“I ask you to recognise the sovereignty and independence of the Lugansk People’s Republic,” separatist Leonid Pasechnik said in a video aired on Russian state television. Denis Pushilin, the rebel head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, made a similar appeal.
Vladimir Putin said Monday that Moscow was considering recognising the independence of east Ukraine’s two separatist republics, a step that would further escalate the Ukraine crisis.
The Russian parliament has already asked Putin to recognise the pro-Moscow separatist territories, which declared themselves independent of Kyiv’s rule after Ukraine’s 2014 pro-EU revolution.
