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Armed men in unmarked uniforms blocked the entrances of administrative buildings and streets in the separatist-held eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk in what appeared to be a power struggle between the pro-Russia separatist forces that control parts of the region. The armed men appeared in Luhansk on Nov. 21 after local separatist leader and President of the Luhansk People’s Republic Igor Plotnitsky dismissed the interior minister, Igor Kornet, on Nov. 20. Plotnitsky and Kornet have in the past competed for influence in the breakaway territory, and the simmering rivalry appears to have boiled over with Kornet’s removal. Yet, so far no violent clashes have been reported.
Pro-Russia rebel forces have held parts of eastern Ukraine since 2014, when a pro-West government came to power in Kiev. Despite Russia’s denial of any involvement in eastern Ukraine, evidence indicates that Moscow has provided economic, political and military assistance to the separatists since fighting broke out between them and the pro-West government in Kiev. Commenting on the recent developments in Luhansk, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Nov. 22 that Moscow is closely monitoring the situation and that “there is an understanding” in the Kremlin about the standoff but did not provide further details.
As events unfold, it remains unclear whose forces are actually in charge of Luhansk — whether Plotnitsky’s or Kornet’s. Some Russian media reports suggest that the armed men are from adjacent breakaway territory Donetsk People’s Republic and arrived in support of Kornet. Regardless, if the evidence is to be believed, the Kremlin is the ultimate authority in eastern Ukraine, and its interest is in maintaining stability in Luhansk. The Kremlin could let the situation escalate to create the impression that Moscow does not directly control the rebel forces, maintaining plausible deniability in its role in the separatist conflict. However, it is unlikely that the Kremlin will allow the situation to deteriorate to the point that the separatists’ internal squabble threatens its hold over the breakaway territory or its negotiations over stationing U.N. peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine.
Image: © РИА Новости, Стрингер
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