Experts about the consequences of absentee arrest of Alexander Zakharchenko.
The Kyiv appeal court in absentia arrested the head of DNR Alexander Zakharchenko. And recently began hearings on the case of the head LNR Igor Carpentry, which, with high probability, will meet the same fate.
It would seem that the criminal case against the separatists is a natural stage in the confrontation between Kiev and the unrecognized “republics”. However there is a caveat: with Zakharchenko and Carpentry, Ukraine entered into a kind of contractual relationship. The signatures of the leaders of the LDNR are under the Complex of measures on implementation of Minsk-2.
Does this mean that Kiev burns bridges and buries hopes for the implementation of the Minsk agreements – or what is happening is an element of bargaining?
Correspondent.net asked the opinion of Kiev and Donetsk experts.
Ukraine signals
As we said, Director of the Institute of global strategies Vadim Karasev, the arrest in absentia Ukraine declares that the future is not going to sit down with Zakharchenko at the negotiating table.
“The court’s decision makes it clear to the participants of the Minsk agreement that they will be executed, but when the leaders of LDNR Zakharchenko and Carpentry will be at least withdrawn from their posts. Further actions must be agreed within the framework of the Normandy format,” - said Karasev.
On the other hand, it gives time for delaying the implementation of the Minsk agreements, and the time, according to experts, will be used to attempt a tactical or military means to produce the de-occupation of Donbass.
“A parallel to Ukraine is looking for a special approach, more favorable in the implementation of the Minsk agreements. However, this can be a signal that the holding, in particular, the election is only possible with the full implementation of security”, - said Karasev.
There is no clear plan
The political scientist Andrei Zolotarev also believes that the case goes to freezing Minsk-2 from the Ukraine.
“Given that Zakharchenko and Carpentry are signatories of the Minsk agreements, Ukraine these agreements, which are inconvenient, freeze. In particular, slows down the process of the election, which is now in the air, take at least the statement of the Ambassador of Germany”, - he said.
But the effect of such actions will be enough for six months, then, not to carry out the agreement, Ukraine, according to Zolotarev, will need other arguments.
EPA
Agree with him and Donetsk columnist, journalist Ramil of Sadyhanov.
“Ukraine once again demonstrated its attitude to the Minsk agreements, one of the signatories of which, along with the representatives of Ukraine, Zakharchenko”, - he said.
What will be the reaction Zakharchenko?
However, according to Semdyanova, the response of the DNR, like most of Zakharchenko can be extremely sarcastic.
“Something in the spirit of the famous American film “Catch me if you can.” It is obvious that decisions to conclude Zakharchenko into custody, the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s office and the court are trying to formally comply with certain legal norms, stipulated by the Ukrainian legislation, but to demonstrate their absolute isolation from political realities,” he said.
And added that now it is possible to sneer at the manner in which be executed the court’s decision.
“But the angle will be very bitter, as any military tensions on the contact line leads to victims among the civilian population, that recent events in Donetsk and Avdeevka,” he said.
