THE DECISION of Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognise the Republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, and to order Russian troops to intervene to prevent any massacres of workers and youth by fascist militias supporting US imperialism, has led to a major crisis for the imperialist powers.
The US and the UK are now threatening to impose massive financial penalties on Russia to do the maximum harm possible to its economy.
The US accused Putin and Russia of creating a pretext for a wider war, while Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky said his country was ‘not afraid of anything or anyone’.
Speaking in a televised address to the Russian nation on Monday evening, Putin signed the recognition decree, saying: ‘I deem it necessary to make a decision that should have been made a long time ago to immediately recognise the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People’s Republics.’
The move, he said, was a direct result of the failure of the 2014 Minsk agreements, designed to put an end to fighting. ‘They are not interested in peaceful solutions – they want to start Blitzkreig,’ he said. ‘Every day they are amassing troops in the Donbass.’
Putin also stated that Kiev is sending saboteurs to target Russian infrastructure, and attempting to ‘drag foreign states into conflict with our country.’
In a late-night televised address Ukraine’s President Zelensky called for ‘clear and effective actions of support’ from his international allies.
He said: ‘It is very important to see now who our real friend and partner is, and who will continue to scare the Russian Federation with words only,’ and he condemned the ‘false friends’ of his ultra-right regime.
The US and the UK are now set to impose massive sanctions on the Russian economy, while a badly rattled US ruling class estimates that Russia has massed some 150,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders.
In an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield dismissed Russia’s claims that troops would be taking on a ‘peacekeeping’ role, saying: ‘We know what they really are.’
However, in the past eight years some 14,000 people – including many civilians – have died in defending Lugansk and Donetsk against the Ukrainian fascists.
Since late last week, the two areas have been evacuating thousands of women, children and the elderly to Russia, as they prepared for a massive attack by Ukrainian fascist militias.
In his hour-long address on Monday, Putin said Ukraine was an integral part of his country’s history, and described eastern Ukraine as ‘ancient Russian lands’.
Moments before the speech aired, the Kremlin revealed that Putin had given notice to French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that he intended to sign a decree recognising the DPR and LPR ‘in the near future’.
According to the official version of events, the two other world leaders ‘expressed their disappointment with this development,’ but emphasised their willingness to maintain diplomatic efforts.
Meanwhile, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya argued for the need to defend the rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region from Ukrainian aggression. ‘Allowing a new bloodbath in the Donbass is something we do not intend to do,’ he said, adding: ‘It’s unacceptable and unprovoked.’
The Western powers have rallied behind Ukraine. The US swiftly condemned Putin’s move, and President Joe Biden signed an executive order prohibiting new investment, trade and financing by Americans in the breakaway regions. The White House said the measures were separate to wider Western sanctions which are ready to go ‘should Russia further invade Ukraine’.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russia had violated Ukrainian sovereignty and ‘completely torn up’ international law. He said Putin appeared ‘bent on a full-scale invasion’, and promised a ‘barrage of sanctions’.
The workers of the world must give their full support to Russia. In fact, with imperialism in a major economic and political crisis worldwide, there is no better time than now to overthrow it and go forward to worldwide socialism.
