Though many parts of the February Minsk agreement are unresolved, the ongoing cease-fire has significantly lowered the intensity and frequency of fighting in eastern Ukraine. This has allowed both Ukrainian authorities and separatist leaders to attempt to fetter rogue elements.
After the Minsk agreement was signed, efforts to integrate volunteer battalions into the regular Ukrainian military accelerated. In some cases, this meant dissolving the original units. The process of integrating the battalions, however, has not been easy. In early April, the head of the Luhansk regional administration, Gennadiy Moskal, warned that members of the Aidar battalion — now formally under Defense Ministry control — were involved in criminal activity in the region, including seizing control of a factory and assaulting local civilians.
The separatist leaders of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics have also tried to limit independent armed groups operating in the areas under their control. In late March, Donetsk leader Alexander Zakharchenko ordered all illegally held weapons to be turned in to the Donetsk People's Republic. In early April, he proposed legislation to disband armed formations outside of the formal Donetsk People's Republic military structure, outlining penalties for those who refused to comply.
The Luhansk and Donetsk people's republics have the Kremlin's support and receive both supplies and arms from Moscow. However, the republics have not received sufficient financial backing from Russia to be able to revive the region's economy or even cover basic social and pensions payments. These financial deficits contribute to the republics' inability to completely eliminate rival armed groups because they cannot offer financial incentives to civilians and armed militants in return for accepting their authority.
The February Minsk agreement has reduced fighting in Donbas, allowing both sides more leeway to begin addressing some of their internal challenges. Yet, Ukrainian and separatist leaders will continue to face uncertainties as they work to consolidate their control over rogue elements.
