Russia held "hybrid annexation" in Donbass, the elections are impossible to be carried out - PACE rapporteurs
Escalation of the conflict in eastern Ukraine has recently increased markedly and in such conditions it is impossible to talk about the elections in Donbass.
It was stated by PACE rapporteur on the situation in Ukraine Christina Zelenková and Marieluise Beck on Tuesday, April 19th at the hearing of the political and legal committees of the Assembly devoted to the situation in eastern Ukraine which took place in the framework of the PACE in Strasbourg, - reports Ukrainska Pravda with reference to dw.com.
Russia's influence in Donbass has increased significantly, according to Zelenková and Beck, who have recently visited Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk and Mariupol.
"According to our information, the Kremlin created five "ministries" which actually controll by so-called LPR and DPR," – said Beck. She called the current situation on the occupied territories as "hybrid annexation" which became an inevitable consequence of the hybrid war that Russia is conducting against Ukraine.
High Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe Nils Muižnieks shared his impressions from the visit to occupied Donetsk at the end of March this year. He confirmed that the occupied territory was gradually but surely coming under the influence of Russia and becoming more isolated from the rest of Ukraine.
"Sadly, I have to admit that if this continues, then there will a large grey zone in the center of Europe where no mechanisms for the protection of human rights function," - shared the Commissioner his observations.
The military conflict in eastern Ukraine, as well as significant economic and social burden due to two million internally displaced persons have a negative impact on the course of reforms in the country, says the special representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in Ukraine Christos Dzhakomopulos.
"Instability in the East is the biggest threat for the Ukrainian reforms today," - said the Advisor to Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
As reported, the Minsk agreements, first of all, provide for the restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine by granting a temporary status of "districts with a special order of the local government" on the occupied territories of Donbass. As for the local elections, according to the Minsk agreements, they must be carried out according to the Ukrainian legislation. All the documents signed in Minsk have signature also of the puppet ruler of the "DPR" Alexander Zakharchenko. Such concepts as the "DPR" or "LPR" and such posts as "the heads of republics” are not mentioned in the Minsk documents.