Ex-separatist leader calls Russian attack on Ukraine a mistake

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

LONDON (Reuters) - One of the architects of the Moscow-backed separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine eight years ago said Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a mistake, in comments that show the Kremlin cannot count on support from all pro-Russian opponents of Kyiv.

Alexei Alexandrov was one of the leaders of a movement in 2014 to reject Kyiv's rule and create an autonomous pro-Moscow territory in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, triggering a war against Ukrainian government forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia attacked Ukraine last month in part to protect the separatist territory from Kyiv, though Western states say that is a pretext for an unprovoked land grab.

In an interview with Reuters last Friday, Alexandrov said: "All this could have been resolved earlier, mainly through diplomatic means and perhaps an insignificant use of force. But that was not done, and that is a mistake on all sides."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ex-separatist-leader-calls-russian-135308442.html

[yagotme]

1. "Mistake on all sides..."

What mistake did Ukraine make? What mistake did we make? This is Russia's disaster, the whole thing.

[haele]

2. Ukraine was supposed to officially cede all Donbas and Crimea, yes,?

I think that's what he meant.
Give Russia their Black Sea ports, maybe Odessa, too, then work out a deal to use those Russian ports to ship their goods out through the Black Sea. And the Donbas Region, supposedly all pro-Russia, will get their cut of the export extortion racket Russia will impose on Ukraine.
That's what Alexandrov meant as what he thought the right Russian move in all of this was supposed to be.
Because of course in hindsight, trying to take over all Ukraine was a really bad idea.

Haele

[Downtown Hound]

3. "Mistake on all sides."

Eff off with that shit.