“There will be no repetition of the Crimean scenario - that’s obvious”
The closure by Ukraine until September, under the pretext of military exercises, of part of the waters of the Sea of Azov, affecting the territory of the DPR, is another provocation by Kyiv on the eve of the opening of the World Cup in Russia.
About this in an interview with a correspondent "PolitNavigator" said a member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Olga Kovitidi.
P.N.: The Ukrainian side announced that it was blocking part of the Azov Sea under the pretext of exercises until the end of summer. This is connected with the situation around the seizure of “Nord” and the actions that the Russian side began to take in response. How to evaluate water area coverage?
OK.: Our neighbors are doing everything to ensure that the escalation of the conflict, which did not begin at the initiative of the Russian Federation, increases.
The start of work on the Crimean Bridge further aggravated this situation. Although we remember the numerous statements that were made at the beginning that the bridge would not be built at all. Now they say that it should be handed over as indemnity (but we know that indemnity is taken from the losing side only after hostilities)...
All those numerous exercises that they are trying to start in the waters and which do not end in anything, are aimed exclusively at psychological influence on the Russian Federation.
But they forget that you cannot put pressure on Russia, you need to negotiate with Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Defense anticipates the actions of the Ukrainian side, despite the fact that (I will allow myself this comparison) today the Ukrainian government is like a monkey with a grenade - no one knows where they will throw it.
There is no coherent policy in Ukraine today, there is no statehood as such today, there is a crisis in the political system, the public administration system, the economic system, the external management system - we understand perfectly well that today we have an extremely troubled neighborhood.
The exercises in waters adjacent mainly to the border of the Russian Federation will not be the last attempts to create such conflict situations.
You and I understand that Poroshenko is a political bankrupt, and the only way for him to preserve his assets (political and economic) is war.
Its manifestations can be different: a hybrid war - it is already underway, and here is one of the tools found not by Poroshenko, but by those who stand behind him.
On the eve of future elections in Ukraine, first presidential and then parliamentary, there will be incitement of hostility towards Russia.
Anti-Russian sentiments and hysteria are a tool in maintaining power. But we understand that Poroshenko will not hold power for long.
P.N.: Do you see sound forces in Ukraine that can replace Poroshenko? So far, sociologists predict the highest result for Yulia Tymoshenko. But her rise to power is unlikely to change relations between Russia and Ukraine for the better.
OK.: Changing the places of the terms does not change the sum. Political figures are shuffled from the same deck. Ukraine is waiting for change.
Today, probably, the most sensible forces are concentrated, oddly enough, in the southeast of Ukraine - these are the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. It was they who were able to realize all the tasks that were originally set on the Maidan - independence, defending the interests of people, fighting the oligarchs.
Unfortunately, there is no optimism; our hearts ache for our neighbors. Our brothers and sisters, the Slavs, are there, and we must understand that the situation there today is very tense.
P.N.: We often hear that residents of Donbass went to the referendum, hoping to join Russia following the example of Crimea. We can expect that in the foreseeable future Russia will recognize these republics, and maybe even repeat the Crimean scenario?
OK.: The life of every country and territory has its own scenario, so there will be no repetition of the Crimean scenario - this is obvious.
For four years we have seen Donbass drenched in blood. This is a completely different story, other people who have their own baggage of emotional experiences and suffering, they have their own identity, which is clearly manifested today. Donbass is united.
Comparing Crimea and Donbass today in terms of the development of historical events is incorrect. Donbass has its own path, and we will see what it will be like, because we are contemporaries of these events.
P.N.: Why is it wrong? Let me ask you directly: don’t the residents of Donbass deserve to join Russia?
OK.: The tools are completely different, events unfold differently.
Their choice is Russia. And when I was at their demonstration, there were DPR flags and Russian flags. They talk about it, they want it, these are Russian people, they are Russian in spirit.
But we understand that there are people who make decisions, and not much depends on our desires.
My position: Donbass is Russian. But, on the other hand, Ukraine must also be revived from somewhere. Which territory, which city, which region will become the site of the revival of Ukraine?
There are no leaders, but the people are waiting. Donbass is not waiting, it is fighting for its land. What are the Ukrainian people waiting for? This is also a question that needs to be answered.
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