B2 The Daily of Geopolitical Europe. News. Files. Reflections. Reports

Russia Caucasus Ukraine

Russian troops can (officially) intervene in Crimea

With the Olympics over, Ukraine's recovery can begin (Credit: Russian Presidency)
With the Olympics over, Ukraine's recovery can begin (Credit: Russian Presidency)

(BRUSSELS2) The decision is now official. President Putin confirmed this in a letter addressed to the Federation Council (the upper house of the Russian Parliament), published by the presidential press service and broadcast by the Itar-Tass agency.

The Russian army engaged

« In connection with the exceptional situation in Ukraine, the threat to the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, our compatriots, the personnel of the military contingent of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation deployed on the territory of Ukraine (Autonomous Republic of Crimea) under an international treaty, and in accordance with Article 102-1 (d) of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, I submit to the Federation Council (...) a letter on the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine pending the normalization of the political and public situation in this country”. And the president appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin to be his official representative on the Federation Council.

Sevastopol and Crimea

This letter responds to a request from the Council of the Federation to take " comprehensive measures to protect Russians in Ukraine. " Today there is a real threat to the life and safety of Russian citizens living in Ukraine. There is a threat to our military in Sevastopol and the Black Sea Fleet. And I think Russia shouldn't be a spectator Federation Council President Valentina Matvienko told Itar-Tass. His comments and explanations are worth the detour. Because they give an idea of ​​the Russian justifications for this intervention: 1) preservation of the security of the Russian soldiers, 2) protection of minorities in Ukraine, 3) non-respect of the agreements of February 21 signed in Kiev and contestation of the new government appointed by the Parliament.

And beyond, Ukraine

The main objective of this call is to to take comprehensive measures, all possible measures to ensure the safety of our citizens living in Ukraine, to help our brotherly Ukrainian people to stabilize and channel the current crisis into a civilized legal framework so that the agreements that have been signed by the leaders of the opposition and the Head of State are implemented strictly She continued.

The February 21 agreement not applied

For the President of the Russian Federation Council, “ the agreement [of February 21] had clearly determined a sequence of stages. A constitutional reform first - supposed to be carried out with a wide participation of the population, political forces and regions - to develop a consensus document that would be supported by all in Ukraine. According to international practice, these important texts should have been adopted in a national referendum ».

The disputed new Ukrainian government

And to contest the elections which brought to their head a new president. " The speed with which presidential elections were announced [in Ukraine] calls its legitimacy into question. » « The agreement provides for the formation of a government of national unity. Which means that it should include representatives of all political forces. In reality, we see that the government, which was approved by the Maidan protesters, does not include all political forces and was formed by the opposition parties “explains Matvienko. What's more " the heads of the regions have not been summoned for consultation” (…) We can understand why there are demonstrations in the regions, except in the West of Ukraine” she denounces.

Moscow in protection of Russian speakers

(Update 2.3.2014 1h) Overnight, the Kremlin published Vladimir Putin's comment after a telephone conversation with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. For the Russian President, in case of an escalation of violence against the Russian-speaking (Russian-speaking) population of the eastern regions of Ukraine and Crimea, Russia would not be able to stay away and would resort to all necessary measures in accordance with international law. It should be noted that Russia officially positions itself as the protector of Russian speakers as well as the very clear distinction between Ukraine and Crimea, but also takes refuge behind compliance with international law for the measures to be taken. This does not normally authorize the use of force.

Cf. Art 51 of the Charter of the United Nations: "Nothing in this Charter affects the natural right of self-defence, individual or collective, in the event that a Member of the United Nations is the object of an attack armed force, until the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately brought to the attention of the Security Council. security and in no way affect the power and duty of the Council under this Charter to act at any time in such manner as it deems necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. "

Read also:

About the Club: the six-point agreement of February 21

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

2 thoughts on “Russian troops can (officially) intervene in Crimea"

  • We would have at our steps a French-speaking and Francophile population threatened by the upheavals of an aborted revolution whose outcome is still uncertain despite the most diverse and disturbing external interferences, a population living within an autonomous republic hosting, against small change, an eminently strategic port, what would we have done?

    By dint of coming to tickle the bears, the bees always end up taking one… while losing their honey!

    Only operetta strategists and care bears aligned with the position of professional troublemakers seem to have some difficulty in grasping it!

  • Jacques Pavard

    Between the Ukrainians (abrogation of official bilingualism, and Rasmussen with “his NATO partner”… everything was done to get there…
    We no longer know if it is the Americans or the Russians who are playing with Europe…
    It is true that between the European Commission and the European states of the EU, we are really spoiled.

Comments closed.

s2Member®