Is Russia pushing Ukraine to breaking point?
Anna Sonny, 25 July 2014
Ukrainian prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk announced his resignation on Thursday after his governing coalition collapsed.
This has left the beleaguered country in political gridlock in the midst of economic troubles and a pro-Russia insurgency in the east of the country. A pro-Europe party led by the mayor of Kiev and a far-right party quit the coalition with Yatseniuk’s Fatherland Party, in order to trigger early elections.
Yatseniuk expressed his deep anger and frustration at the legislative deadlock that is preventing the country from passing laws to finance the army and regulate the country’s energy situation.
It has been a turbulent year for Ukraine so far; sustained protests ousted the former president Viktor Yanukovych after he shunned the EU Association Agreement under pressure from his Russian president Vladimir Putin. This deal was finally signed last month. Tension erupted in March with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and has been ongoing in the eastern city of Donetsk between Russian separatists and the Ukrainian military for the past few months. Whereas Crimea held significance for Russia, being populated by almost 58.5 percent Russians and providing the base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, there is only a slim Russian majority in Donetsk; but its coal mines and steel production make it economically significant for Ukraine which is already financially weak – and also makes it a significant target for Russia.
There is mounting evidence that flight MH17 was gunned down in error by pro-Russian separatists who believed it was a Ukrainian military aircraft. The tension has now spilled out into the global arena with the tragedy. Worse still, there has been no professional search of the area because of the fighting. While Russia publicly denies having anything to do with the disaster, they have been arming, funding and training soldiers in the region where the plane was brought down.
Conflict in the region has intensified after tragedy; on Wednesday two Ukrainian fighter jets were downed and U.S intelligence agencies claim to have evidence that Russia was firing artillery at Ukrainian military positions.
Looking at Ukraine’s recent troubles, Russia does seem to be the common denominator, piling on political pressure, weakening the economy, and flexing its military muscle in the country. It remains to be seen how Ukraine will cope politically and economically with such a hostile neighbour.