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Ukraine to send reinforcements to key cities in case of rebel attacks

Kyiv will send reinforcements to key Ukrainian cities to prevent potential attacks from Russia-backed separatists, President Petro Poroshenko said on Monday. He also called on Ukraine’s parliament to rescind a law giving special status to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of the country, much of which is under the control of separatists.

Kyiv essentially has no control over rebel authorities in the east, who held their own elections over the weekend and have suggested they may attempt to capture other cities in the region, such as the port city of Mariupol.

At a meeting of the country’s security council, Poroshenko said the reinforcements would be for the “construction of fortifications” against a “possible offensive in the direction of Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kharkiv and Luhansk north”.

Speaking earlier he said he would ask the council and parliament to end the “special status” law for rebellious eastern regions, agreed as part of a ceasefire deal in September.

The Minsk accords were signed in early September and provided for Donetsk and Luhansk to gain special status, military engagements to cease and an “all-for-all” prisoner swap. None of its provisions have been implemented, although large-scale fighting stopped. Both sides have accused the other of destroying the accord.

A military offensive launched by Kyiv to win back control of the territories was halted by the deal, after over 3000 people died, many of them civilians. Kyiv’s forces were making ground against the rebels but suffered a series of defeats, apparently because of military support from Russia.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry said about 100 soldiers had died and 600 had been injured since the ceasefire was declared. Shelling has been audible in central Donetsk for the past few days, as rebel forces attempt to flush out the last contingent of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk airport.

A top rebel commander told the Guardian over the weekend that the Donetsk authorities have “all the intelligence we need” about Mariupol’s defences and would be capable of launching an assault at any minute. However, for all the rumours of a new offensive circulating in Donetsk at present, it is unclear whether the rebels really have the appetite for this at a time when the region’s economic and social problems are becoming more acute.

Pensions have not been paid for months, as Kyiv refuses to send money to separatist authorities it calls terrorists. Russia so far appears unwilling to prop up the region financially.

The separatist leaders now face the challenge of building a state despite heavily damaged local infrastructure and the cessation of pension payments from Kyiv. Boris Litvinov, one of the top separatist officials in the region, said Donetsk has received a “small amount” of funding from Russia to pay pensions but is asking for more credit “to get started”.

In Kyiv, Poroshenko said officials would discuss increasing pressure on the separatists.

“I can’t exclude that as a result of today’s meeting we could toughen the procedure for passing checkpoints, to make sure that those who could be part of reconnaissance groups cannot travel. We may also be forced to toughen the economic situation as well,” said the Ukrainian president.

He said Kyiv continues to supply gas and electricity to the rebel regions without being paid for it. The government in Kyiv must decide whether it continues to subsidise the regions and thus help prop up the separatist authorities, or cut it off altogether and effectively admit that the territory is lost.

Sunday’s elections in Donetsk and Luhansk were denounced as criminal by Kyiv, and not recognised by the west, but drew praise from Moscow.

Alexander Zakharchenko, who won the vote for prime minister in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, was inaugurated during a pomp-filled ceremony in a Donetsk theatre on Tuesday afternoon. After being greeted with a standing ovation in as he took the stage at the heavily guarded theatre, Zakharchenko took the oath of office on a large bible and made a short speech promising to rebuild the war-torn fledgling republic.

Russian MP Alexei Zhuravlyov, a member of an electoral observer mission consisting almost entirely of Russian and European far-right politicians, joined Zakharchenko onstage. He praised Donetsk for holding elections that “many western countries could envy” and condemned unnamed countries that “tell us how to live from across the ocean”.

A short musical program capped off the ceremony with patriotic songs and dancers, including one wearing a bear costume.

Besides Zhuravlyov, the chairman of the parliament of South Ossetia, a breakaway republic in Georgia recognised only by Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela, also attended the ceremony in a sign of support.

“Sure, it’s only a partially recognised republic, but that’s still an important position. I hope the process of recognition [for the Donetsk People’s Republic] is becoming more active,” Miroslav Rudenko, a well-known pro-Russian activist who was elected to the republic’s parliament on Sunday, told the Guardian.

Asked about the possibility of renewed fighting, Rudenko said it would depend on Kyiv’s actions.

“We’re for peace, but that peace cannot mean capitulation,” Rudenko said. “Our young republic is prepared to defend itself.”