Two blasts rocked Ukraine’s eastern regions in Luhansk province, fuelling fears that despite signs of a Russian drawdown the risk of a full-scale invasion still remains.
Part of a gas pipeline near Luhansk, which is now ruled by pro-Russian separatists, caught fire late on Friday following a blast. Russian news agencies TASS and Interfax reported that the explosion was strong but there were no casualties. It also reported that there was another blast 40 minutes later after the previous blast.
Earlier in the day, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) expressed concern citing the ceasefire violations in the eastern region of Ukraine.
The Russian news agency TASS further reported that two pro-Moscow separatist regions in eastern Ukraine were evacuating its citizens to Russia fearing more military action.
The two separatist regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – have set up their own governments – Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic – and are heavily-backed by Russia. Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that every refugee entering Moscow from Donbas and Luhansk regions will be paid 10,000 rubles or $130.
Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic leader Leonid Pasechnik said that they are coordinating with the leadership in Moscow to speed up evacuation. Both leaders said that they are concerned with alleged military buildup near the line of contact in the eastern region of Ukraine and said that the Ukraine military will make a play to recapture the region.
Pushilin and Pasechnik announced separation of Donetsk and Luhansk from Ukraine after Euromaidan protests forced then-president Viktor Yanukovych to stand down in 2014. These two provinces’ armies receive funding from Russia. Ukraine considers the rebel armies of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic as terrorist organisations.
These two regions along with Crimea announced freedom from Ukraine following the 2014 ousting of the Ukraine ex-president Yanukovych. These three regions are vital to the current conflict between Ukraine, the US, NATO and Russia.
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