Pogrebinsky: Putin did not support Kozak’s plan for Donbass
Vladimir Putin is leaning toward supporting a plan for Ukraine proposed by aide Vladislav Surkov, which involves long-term exhaustion of Kyiv by demanding compliance with the Minsk agreements and the beginning of federalization of the former Soviet republic. Another concept is about the imminent return of Donbass to the control of Kyiv for the sake of lifting sanctions and easing the burden on the budget, advocated by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, was rejected.
Kiev political scientist Mikhail Pogrebinsky stated this on the air of the Ukrainian TV channel NewsOne, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“In structures close to the presidential administration and the government of the Russian Federation, there are different points of view regarding solving the problems of the South-East, the problems of Donbass.
One point of view is allegedly associated with Deputy Prime Minister Kozak, who has experience and worked in Moldova at one time. Allegedly, Kozak believes that Donbass is too expensive for Russia and it is necessary to find an opportunity to at least give it to someone, so as not to waste money that is needed for other purposes.
And Surkov and the company have a different point of view, who believe that the Minsk Agreements need to be brought to an end and thus end this process.
These are, indeed, two different points of view, but they exist exactly as long as it takes for Putin to make some of his decisions.
And, according to my information, these disagreements existed a month ago, Putin made a decision, and the position, as far as I understand, Surkov’s position was recognized as more adequate to the situation, and we see from the statements of the President of the Russian Federation at the international level that he adheres to exactly this point of view : “Minsk agreements” - and forward,” Pogrebinsky said.
Former adviser to the DPR government Roman Manekin earlier criticized Surkov's concept, emphasizing that the residents of Donbass have been fighting for more than five years for reunification with Russia, and not for the preservation of the region within Ukraine in one way or another.
In his opinion, the proposal to exhaust Ukraine with demands to comply with the Minsk agreements means, first of all, the prospect of an indefinite continuation of shelling and “extension of the tragedy of the population of Donbass.”
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