According to Putin, Ukraine Is Now Illegally Occupying 36,000 Km2 Which Rightfully Belong to Moscow’s Military Allies

Not exactly an off ramp

Asked whether Russia had just recognized Donetsk and Lugansk in the territory they actually hold (17,000 km2 between them), or in their claimed territory (53,000 km2 combined), Putin’s spokesman Peskov couldn’t tell for sure. He started by saying the latter, but then claimed both at the same time:

CNN: Regarding the recognition of the sovereignty of the DNR and LNR, tell me, are we talking about recognizing them in their current, de facto borders or within the borders of the entire Luhansk and Donetsk regions? As we understand it, these are a bit different.

Dmitry Peskov: Within the borders that they have proclaimed themselves.

CNN: Proclaimed at what point?

Dmitry Peskov: Well, when these two republics were proclaimed.

Bloomberg: Can you elaborate on this issue?

Dmitry Peskov: No, I have nothing to add.

Ekho Moskvy: Do these borders include Mariupol, for example?

Dmitry Peskov: I have nothing to add to this. Within the borders in which they exist and have been proclaimed.

Ekho Moskvy: In which they exist or were proclaimed?

Dmitry Peskov: Well, in which they were proclaimed and exist.

Ekho Moskvy: Meaning, within the current borders?

Dmitry Peskov: I have nothing to add to this.

BBC News: Can you clarify? I don’t quite understand: Will the recognition of the people’s republics mean the borders that exist now or those that they’ve proclaimed themselves?

Dmitry Peskov: Within the borders in which these republics were proclaimed.

BBC News: In 2014? Meaning, the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions?

Dmitry Peskov: In this case, I’ve said everything I can on this subject.

When Donetsk head, Pushilin, was asked the same he claimed he hadn’t asked Putin for clarification, then urged caution. 

He started by saying the recognition referred to borders staked out in the 2014 independence declaration, then immediately said ‘but maybe not’:

“The borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics, taking into account where the referendums were held in 2014.”

“But at the same time, it is worth realizing the fact that now, at the moment, these are not all our territories under our control. This is not an easy issue, and it will be resolved later. How and what can affect these decisions— a little later, time will tell and, of course, the position of the Ukrainian side.”

With Peskov and Pushilin unwilling to speak for Putin, it took Putin to confirm that recognition was indeed for the borders staked out in 2014:

“We have recognized them, which means that we recognize their basic documents, including their constitutions. Those constitutions set the boundaries as those of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions from the time they were a part of Ukraine,”

Thus the Russian official position now is that Ukraine is illegally occupying territory the size of Belgium that actually belongs to two other states. States with which Russia has just concluded military treaties.

Yeah, I don’t think that this bodes well for peace. This seems designed to force the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.

Having gone to a situation where Moscow now technically claims Ukraine is in Slavyansk, Kramatorsk and Mariupol as a foreign occupier, I don’t think we have moved closer to peace. On the contrary, we have edged closer to was as was the intent from the start.

25 Comments
  1. Peter says

    Marko, you are Serb, at the time when Nato destroyed your people, Russia could not help, they did, what they could. And now in a situation that is practically the same as the rape of your people, you talk and nitpick in this way? I think you are insane…

    1. Hostage (Raptar) Driver says

      Starting to think he may not be (Serb).
      If so (a Serb) is he the rower or the arm wrestler?
      Perhaps it is just a pseudonym?

      1. nnn says

        He must be Jew

    2. Jerôme says

      He is Hrvatski Ustaśa!

  2. Peter says

    However, we see so far that violence is not in Putin’s playbook. The recognition of the two republics is, like the massing of troops earlier at the Ukrainian border, a way of preventing violence. Moreover, in diplomatic discourse, this recognition can be likened to the precedent that the United States and its NATO allies set when they recognized the independence of Kosovo from Yugoslavia. The justification then was alleged genocidal intentions of the Serbs, the very same issue that Putin has raised with regard to Kiev’s intentions in Donbas.

    1. Geraldo says

      which Scholz laughed at. the most expensive laugh in history as German gas prices will attest to later this year.

      1. Mr Reynard says

        Let the German Goyim, freeze in the dark …
        Kanzler Scholz

    2. Hostage (Raptar) Driver says

      Yes but this time the allegations are true and the proof is easy to find.

  3. Geraldo says

    Daddy Putin going to show dem Yanqui who da boss iz. Hopefully he’ll set the Chechens on the Nazis as a finale.

  4. fred says

    FU Marko

  5. GMC says

    Another small territorial question would relate to a map of all the airspace above Ukraine pre Maidan. If you look at an Aviation map there are huge areas { in the US anyways} called MOAs or Military Operations Areas and they are reserved for military Air operations. Did the Russian military have MOAs in Ukraine like they had in Crimea ? Russia was the main defender of Ukraine even after the fall of the CCCP.

  6. JC Denton says

    Let’s rename this site to “Marjanovic’s-Empire.com”

  7. edwardi says

    “the intent from the start,” well ya maybe so, the intent has been clearly announced for many months now, whatever it takes to back NATO out of Ukraine and sober up the Fools in Kiev. and why would Anyone think the situation has moved closer to Peace ? Have the Ukies ceased and desisted firing on the E. ? If not, and hint hint they haven’t, then they are now firing on the Russian army, and it may well be time then to change the ‘sacred topography’ of this bastard state called Ukraine, consolidate all of Russian speaking E including Mariupol and Odessa, and for good measure leave all NATO assets and Kiev military capabilities burning on the ground. And even then no Peace is secure because the UK/US cannot ever give up on the past glory of their Empires, and giving in to allowing normal trade and barter among all of Europe and Eurasia would sink them to the bottom of the ocean which the US has to cross to stick their ugly nose in so many other peoples business.

  8. Jonathan says

    Russia Insider went under due to their explicit Neo Nazism. Anti-Empire will go under due to Marković.

    1. jim says

      Same thing for the saker. Hes a real piece a work. He likes the mandatory clot shots and passports.

      1. XSFRGR says

        Saker also called for the total destruction of the White race, and culture in order to achieve world peace; I gave up on him after that.

    2. nnn says

      Yes, going to cancel my subscription

  9. jim says

    Putin is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT according to the title of this story. Marko is right for a change, the first part of the statement at least is. The snide remark at the end of the title is disgusting. Putin does NOT need an off ramp for this. Putin will win. PERIOD.

  10. Jerôme says

    God Bless Mr.Putin and Mr.Shoigu, God Bless Russia and God with Jesus Christ Bless the superheroic Russian people!!!

    1. Steve Ginn says

      Always some jesus freak got to bring his crappy religion into the story!

  11. XSFRGR says

    I really find this type of pointless minutia to be…..well….pointless. The simple fact is that the last hope for Christianity, and the White race is Russia. I don’t care how Putin achieves victory, but if he’s not victorious all of Western culture, and history will perish. It is my firm opinion that V. V. Putin was called by God, and God is on Russia’s side. Without Putin, and Russia the Children of the Devil (John 8:44) will be victorious, and evil will reign over the earth forever.

  12. john says

    Putin has already thrown in the towel. Ukraine under Russia will still have the Sputnik or some other jab shoved down their throat. A proud moment to make sure all the immigrants from Donbass are jabbed upon entering Holy Covidian Russia. If this tastes like freedom and Russian greatness – welcome to the one world slave state. No health issues as all will be healed of everything. Sputnik and Pfizer and Moderna will rule instead of those nasty oligarchs.We will win Ukraine for the Holy Jab. Our troops have all been jabbed so they cannot be defeated.

    On a calmer note – imagine buying a new Lada and have the keys put in your hand. Now it is yours. You had to sign the purchase agreement of course. It specifically states that any defect in operation or any accident caused by a malfunction is entirely your problem. The Lada Corporation is not responsible for what ever may happen with this vehicle. Any problem that occurs is due to the many poor roads in Russia or your poor driving habits or perhaps the fuel, not Lada’s problem, ever. You have accepted full responsibility. That is the word – responsibility.

    Would this be agreeable to you? Then indeed the many choices of vaccine drugs you can choose soon, one of those can be flowing through your system and you have accepted total responsibility for it. What’s in it, someone asks. Doesn’t matter, I’ve got it and, well, I really can’t return it to anyone. Can I? Any fault now is with the path you walk. Now you have a new health partner, the Russian government, totally. After all you made the choice freely and without being forced. didn’t you?

    Responsibility. It is the question for everything we live with, work with, speak of, and accept.

    1. GMC says

      Lada has a warranty.

    2. Steve Ginn says

      Are you as big of an idiot as your post suggests, or are you worse?! You seriously need psychiatric assistance as a matter of urgency!

  13. Steve Ginn says

    And how many MILLIONS of sq.km are the POS Yanks illegally occupying around the world. Marko Marjanovic is obviously a Ukrop neo nazi and his rubbish can’t be taken seriously. To retain any semblance of credibility, Anti Empire should divest itself of this twerp!

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