‘Self-Rule’ Status For Separatists-Held Eastern Ukraine, Explained

Recent concessions to pro-Russia forces will not end the war.

US President Barack Obama (R) talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko during a meeting at the White House in Washington on September 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Jim Watson)

by Katherine Jacobsen, Hromadske International

produced by Maxim Eristavi

What You Need To Know:

✔️The Ukrainian government laid out its two top priorities: keeping the country together and avoiding further bloodshed;

✔️While this is a step towards peace, this is no way will provide a rapid conclusion to the conflict along Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia. Neither the separatists, the Russians, or the Ukrainian government and public are satisfied with this reshuffling;

✔️With the plan outlined in the current law, pro-Russian separatists would have a great deal of autonomy and Russia will continue to exert a great deal of interest in the “special status” eastern regions;

✔️The ‘self-rule’ region makes up 5 % of Ukraine’s territory, 10 % of the population lives there, while it produces 20 % of gross domestic product and about a quarter of Ukraine’s export volume;

✔️Donbas residents found themselves living in a police state. Human rights and Ukrainian activists say, an untold number of pro-Kyiv loyalists have been extorted, abducted, tortured and, allegedly, executed;

✔️The talks started after the direct invasion of the regular Russian troops;

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‘Self-Rule’ Status For Separatists-Held Eastern Ukraine, Explained