De-occupation or “fight for souls”: what strategy with respect to Donbas will Ukraine choose?. Part 1

Military and diplomatic solution of the problem, information campaign and isolation — these are the elements of the state strategy offered by experts with respect to the territories not controlled by Ukraine.

Ukrainian militaries in Avdiivka. March 2016 (Photo)

Ukraine has no state strategy for resuming the control over the occupied areas of the Donbas: this fact is admitted by officials, as well as volunteers and experts. And if at the state level military and diplomatic strategy is proposed, volunteers advise to focus on fight for residents of the occupied territories. At the same time, experts advise to develop the strategy of returning the separate areas in the east of the country as well as the strategy of their temporary isolation as the price of returning them may be too high.   

There is no state strategy with respect to the occupied territories, in particular, the parts of the Donbas controlled by separatists and militaries supported by Russia. The fact was confirmed by Heorhiy Tuka, ex-head of Luhansk military and civil administration, and today — Deputy Minister on Temporary Occupied Areas, at the meeting with journalists.

Heorhiy Tuka (Photo)

He said that he had had a meeting with President Petro Poroshenko where he had expressed his opinion and was completely understood. After the meeting Poroshenko agreed to include the former volunteer and leader of the Luhansk region in the group which is developing the strategy concerning the Donbas.

First of all, it is necessary to answer three questions concerning the goal of the process: the return of the territories, the return of the people, or the return of the territory with the people. Personally I am for the last approach.

Heorhiy Tuka

“First of all, we ourselves should answer three questions about our final aim: to return the territories, to return the people, or to return the territories with the people. The last one is the most difficult task. However, I am the supporter of the last approach”, Tuka claimed in an interview to “The 5th Channel”.

Tuka added that the return of the people without the territories may be achieved by military means though this variant is considered to be the least acceptable one. According to him, the best way of solving the problem is the combination diplomatic and military efforts.

On April 29, Petro Poroshenko appointed Heorhiy Tuka Deputy Minister on Temporary Occupied Areas. Before that he was Head of the Luhansk Region. As Tuka says, he has the plan of actions for the first days of being on the new position, and this work is connected with the strategy for returning the uncontrolled areas of the Donbas.

Yevhen Solonyna

De-occupation or “fight for soles”: what strategy with respect to Donbas will Ukraine choose?. Part 2

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